Angels & Demons
by YunaBlaze
Summary: Fall in love with an angel or a devil could be completely normal for a human, but what if it is an angel who fall in love?
1. Chapter 1

The Blue Moon

In Karakura Town, everybody believed in ghosts, demons and angels—except one particular orange-hair 15-years-old boy who didn't believe in these things, even though he could see ghosts. In fact, he had a secret. Only a selected few knew his secret, but the truth was this: he was a half-angel, possessing both angel and human blood in his veins. However, he didn't care about his angelic half and continued his life as a perfectly normal human, until God finally decided his destiny, which ended up turning his hybrid life into a living hell.

The orange-haired boy sat on a grassy hill that sloped down into the river bank where his mother died. Sometimes he really wanted to shout out the question that had haunted him for days and nights. Why did his mother die if she was an angel? Assuming, of course, angels couldn't die. He preferred to keep this question for someone who would hopefully give him a clearer answer. He'd suddenly had an urge that afternoon to look at the sunset from this hill, just like when his mother was still alive. It was only when the sun vanished from the horizon did he got up and went home for dinner.

'Yo. I'm home!' He called out at the door, and immediately ducked.

'You're late, Ichigo!' The body of his father Kurosaki Isshin flew over Ichigo's head and out through the open door. When his father landed outside, Ichigo swiftly closed and locked the front door and headed for the dining room.

'ICHIGO! OPEN THE DOOR IMMEDIATELY! You are an ANGEL! You can't do BAD THINGS to your father or you'll go to HELL!'

'Like I care if I end up in Hell,' said the teen, patting the dust off his grey high school uniform, and sat down to eat. Yuzu, his sister, ran to get the door for their father who was sobbing loudly out front. When she returned with their (still weeping) father in tow, Ichigo told her that he was full. She was about to protest when she saw that her brother's food had barely even been touched, but stopped when her brother threw her an apologizing look and continued to his room. Yuzu started to go after him, but Karin, her older twin sister with short black hair, stopped her. 'Leave him alone, Yuzu. He wants to be alone. Besides, I think he visited Mom today.'

'MOTHER, PLEASE GRANT ME THE POWER TO HELP AND PROTECT OUR SON!' yelled Isshin, now sobbing next to giant picture frame of a beautiful smiling orange-haired woman with sapphire-like eyes. 'HE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE REBELLIOUS BY THE DAY, I'M REALLY AFRAID HE'LL BECOME A DEVIL SOON! I'M SORRY TO HAVE FAILED YOU!'

'It's completely normal to be rebellious. When he comes back even just a little late every night, you always welcome him by kicking him right at his face!' said Karin loud enough for the old man to hear through his own sobbing and yelling. 'And, second, you'd better get off of mom's frame before it's covered completely by your tears and slobber.'

Ichigo sat heavily on his bed, looking over his shoulder towards the full moon. Tonight was a blue moon. His mother told him that when a blue moon appeared, that meant an angel had descended from Heaven to Earth. It really didn't matter, since they took no note of his existence and neither did he. He went to sleep without changing his uniform, or knowing that this angel who had just descended from Heaven was going to change his life forever.

Not far away from his room, atop a telephone pole, a pair of dark-blue eyes was watching the young teenager.

'Kurosaki Ichigo, I've found you.'

Next morning, he took the normal path to school. Looking down at his watch, noticed he was a little early for school. He was shaken out of his reverie by calls of "Ichigo!" from behind him. Turning around, he was greeted with the scene of his two best friends, Renji and Rukia, both of whom had promised to keep mum about his secret.

'Morning. Eh, are you two fighting each other again?' asked Ichigo, looking at Rukia to Renji, who each had a bump on their head.

'It's this idiot's fault! Last night, he climbed up the tree next to my window to spy on me!' said the black haired girl, glaring at Renji who glared back.

'I wasn't spying! I knocked at the front door, but you didn't answer, so I started to worry. I ran to the yard to see if you were there, but I couldn't see, so I climbed up the tree and saw you listening to your goddamn iPod. You didn't see me, I knocked!' The two glared daggers at each other, before Renji broke his gaze away from her and looked helplessly at Ichigo. 'She just totally freaked out and shouted at me as she opened the window. When she grabbed me by the collar I lost balance and fell.' He explained.

'You mean _we_ fell, you _idiot_! You pulled me with you when you fell! I'm not Wonderwoman, you know! And thanks to you, I got this bump on my head!' screamed Rukia, pointing at her injured head and back at the red-haired boy.

Ichigo let out a heavy sigh and looked back at his friends with a small smile. They looked like a married couple every time they argued. It was just a pity that Rukia had a _mysterious_ boyfriend. Every holiday and birthday, someone always sent tons of stuff to her: chocolates, orchids, bracelets, rings, dresses—you name it, she got it. She had everything that would make even the most popular person at school envy her. But the question was _who_ gave her these presents? Renji was like a sticky red bubble gum on her shoes; he followed her everywhere and phoned her every hour, but he never saw any man around Rukia's house. One thing was sure though, the guy who bought all those things for her must be rich.

The two of them continued to argue until the three of them reached school. In class, the female students were more excited than they usually were. When the trio went to their seats, they overheard some students say that there was a new teacher coming to replace their old boring history teacher.

'I heard he's really hot and a sex god. Oh I hope he's going to ask me out!' one of the giggling girls whispered.

'In your dreams, 'cuz he's going to pick me!' said another, which caused a bicker to break out between the two.

Ichigo and Renji were both curious about the new teacher as well, and started their own conversation about this new teacher, but they stopped talking about it when they saw Rukia shaking and becoming rather pale.

'Rukia, are you alright? What the hell is going on with ya?' asked Renji, now very worried. The girl didn't reply, just nodded.

Everyone fell silent when the homeroom teacher entered. After taking attendance, she told them about the upcoming field trip to Okinawa and the project they were all required to give to her after the field trip. She was just about to give them back their history test when one of the girls asked if the new teacher was coming. And when you speak of the devil, he will appear. The principal came in with a handsome young man with long black hair and dark-blue eyes.

'Everyone, good morning. This is your new history teacher who will replace for the rest of the year, Kuchiki Byakuya-san.'


	2. Chapter 2

Angels & Demons

'KUCHIKI??!!!!' Screamed the whole class aloud and looked back at the very pale Rukia.

'Kuchiki-chan had never told any of you, that her brother is going to be your new history teacher? Well, Kuchiki, you really know how to surprise everyone don't you?' The principal asked Rukia.

'It's not like I want to surprise anyone, I didn't even know he's going to be here in the first place.' Mumbled Rukia under her breath and looking down at her shoes, while everybody around stared her like a delicious prey, except Ichigo and Renji, they just gave her a look that said 'you never told us that you had a brother?'

After a little introduction about Rukia's brother, the principal leaved and the whole class started to whisper to each other or continued to stare at Rukia. The homeroom teacher tried to tell them to stop talking, but they are busier discussing about the brother of Rukia who never mentioned his existence than the silence that their teacher wanted.

'SILENCE!!!' Byakuya said in loud solemn voice.

The classroom regained silence, the students are now staring at the new teacher with a scare expression like if he could turns into a dragon.

'I want all of you to take out your history manual and turn to page 66.' Byakuya told them as though nothing had happened and took out his history manual.

'Then I'll leave everything to you and if you need me, I'll be at the staff room.' The trembling homeroom teacher told him and leaves the classroom as quickly as she could.

'Man, even the teacher is scare of him. The history course is going to be tough for the rest of the year.' Renji whispered to Ichigo.

'Abarai Renji, Kurosaki Ichigo. I do not tolerate any student in my class to talk to each other without my permission.' Byakuya told the two teenagers and stared at them with a serious expression. 'And Kuchiki Rukia, I want you to stay during recess.'

* * *

During recess, Renji and Ichigo discuss about their new teacher and his relationship with Rukia.

'No wonder why Rukia never told us anything about her brother, he is a pain in the neck. No this, no that.' Renji said, taking a bite of his cookies. 'I mean, he wants all to obey every rule that the school had written! He didn't show any mercy to anyone who broke a rule.'

'I think Rukia should be the one who is complaining not you, she didn't seem to know that her brother is coming or going to be her new teacher. Have a relative as a teacher in worse than having 10 F marks in your school report.' Ichigo replied looking at the windows of his class to see if Rukia is still there.

'10 F marks in your school report are not the worse.' A small trembling voice behind told them.

The two boys looked over their shoulder and saw Rukia who looked like a mummy without its bandages.

'RUKIA! What happened to ya?' Renji asked as she collapsed on him. 'Did that freak did something to you?'

Renji received a punch at his chin as answer. 'YOU IDIOT! Don't call Nii-sama a freak. Is the whole class who did this to me!'

'What? The class? What the hell do you mean?' Asked Renji confused and rubbing his injured chin.

'What she means, is that the conversation between her and her brother is OK, but when she got out of the class, she got ambushed by everyone in our class. Right, Rukia?' Ichigo told the red hair boy and looked back at the tired girl.

'Yeah. They all asked if he is single or how old is he. Everything that has to do with what type of girl he likes. Nii-sama might be gorgeous and all, but he strongly believed in law and order, he thinks that anyone who break the rules must be punish. That's the type of person he is.' Rukia told them as she looked up at the sky.

* * *

After school, Ichigo decided to go home earlier, because the dozen of homework the teachers gave them must be done before tomorrow. He let out a heavy sigh, when he remembered the four pages essay that they must write about the Edo century. When he arrived near the river where he usually sat to watch the sunset, someone was already there waiting for him.

'Kurosaki Ichigo. You have finally arrived.' Said Byakuya standing near the grassy hill and looked the surprise teen. 'Your time had come.'

'What...? What do you-' Ichigo couldn't finish what he wanted to say when the man standing in front of him had growing wings from his back.

'God had decided that your existence as a normal human is over and you must start your training to become an angel.' The long black hair man answered as he spread his white wings and flew away. 'Meet me back here tonight, when the moon is in the middle of the black starry sky, and you'll obtain the answers of the questions that haunt you.'

The boy tried to stop him from leaving, but he was out of reach. He just looked at the white falling feather that the man had left.

* * *

'Onii-chan, are you ok?' Yuzu asked Ichigo who is playing with his food. 'You don't look very well since you got home, did you have a fever?'

Ichigo told her young sister that he is fine and that he isn't very hungry. He went to his room to do his homework, but he couldn't concentrate when a phrase kept popping out of his mind: 'You'll obtain the answers of the questions that haunt you.' He opened his drawer to take out a picture of his mother and stared at it for five minutes.

'Well I don't think it'll hurt if I go to the meeting. It might be the only chance I had to know why you leaved us and why didn't you live.' He told her mother and started to change his clothes for the cold night. When he's ready to go, he added: 'Wish me luck, mother.' He makes sure that everyone in the house was asleep before he silently gone outside and go to the meeting.

After half an hour of running, he arrived at the meeting point and looked up at the full moon, it's almost at the middle of the sky, sat down on the cold grassy hill to wait for his history teacher. He spent the next half an hour to throw rocks into the river or looked at the reflected moon.

'So you came, Kurosaki Ichigo.' A voice called out to Ichigo who turn and saw the winged man standing just a few feet away from him, holding a katana.

Before the boy could reply, Byakuya charged towards him with his katana. He immediately dove to his left and narrowly escaped the sudden attack, his right shoulder got scratch.

'What the hell did you do that for? I came here for answer!' The injured teen yelled at his assailant.

'Binding Art No.4. Creeping Rope.' The black hair man replied and a yellow energy rope tied around the body of the orange-hair boy. 'You'll obtain your answers after this.'

Ichigo struggled to break free from this rope before his heart get stabbed by the winged man's katana, but it's too late, because the katana was just inch away from his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

Angels & Demons

'STOP! NII-SAMA!' Somebody screamed.

That person jumped to the arm of the winged man and stopped the attack.

'Rukia. Do not defy what God wanted the boy to become.' Byakuya told the person who is holding his arm tightly. Ichigo looked at the one who saved him, it is Rukia, but she was wearing a black kimono with tiny little white wings at her back and a katana attach to her waist.

'Nii-sama! Ichigo will not accept what he will become. If you force him to become what he meant to be, he'll only become what we fear the most!' Rukia said.

'I'm telling you one last time, you cannot defy what-'

'I'm NOT defying what our God wants. I just don't want you to force Ichigo to become it. I'll… I'll convince him. Please… Nii-sama… Please…' Rukia begged.

Byakuya looked at her crying sister for a second and released Ichigo from the binding spell. The girl whipped the tears on her face, thanked her brother and ran towards the stunned young man.

'Ichigo, are you alright?' Rukia asked very worry.

'Yeah… Why didn't you told me before? Why did you hided your true form? You know I always wanted to know why did my mother die!' The orange-hair boy questioned his friend as if she is a criminal.

'Ichigo… I didn't hide my true form from you on purpose, I thought that you're just a normal human with a special gift, that's all.' The girl hesitated a moment before she continued. 'Ichigo, are you sure you want to hear the truth about your mother's death? Because you'll have to accept to become an angel like both of us and you cannot refuse.'

The teen took a minute or to think about it before he answered: 'I want to know, even if the price for it is my soul.'

Rukia took a deep breath and said: 'Your mother, Masaki, is the last angel who had the Minerva's Tears. Those who had the Minerva's Tears had the power to overturn death of other angels and their own, they also had the ability to make miracles like God himself but they could only used this power ten times, after that they become ordinary angel. Your mother was the Right Hand of God, she does everything in her powers to help God, but she got accidentally injured during a fight and fell to Earth. Your father saved her, you could say they fell in love at first sight. Then they got marry and had you, Karin and Yuzu.'

Rukia stopped talking and looked into the eyes of the teen to see if he is still determined to continue to listen what's she going to say next. The orange-hair knew that she was about to tell him the truth of his mother death and that she isn't sure if he is ready to accept it yet. The teen looked back at her and nodded.

'That day, a devil sensed the power of your mother and you, he wanted to devour both of you, but your mother used the last Minerva's Tears she had within her to protect you and she got devour by the devil instead of you.' Rukia had finished and looked at the boy in front of her.

'Your mother, before she died, she had one last request to God. She wanted you to become a great angel when God think is the time for you to become one, so that you could fight and protect what you cared the most. My brother is here, by the order of God, to turn you into an angel.' She added with a little bit of hesitation. 'By stabbing you into the heart with a Soul Slayer, it will release the angelic power that slumbers deep within you…'

'Rukia. Thank you.' Ichigo suddenly said to the small angel who is shock. 'I told you that I am ready to accept of what's going to happen to me. So stab my heart already.'

Rukia took out her Soul Slayer from its sheath, but she hesitated to stab her best friend. Then Ichigo asked her: 'Did you know why my mom and dad named me Ichigo?'

He let her think for a minute or two before he told her: 'Ichigo mean 'He who protect'. I know she always wanted me to have the strength to protect what's the most precious for me, so I think this the reason that gave me this name. By becoming an angel, I can finally protect people that I care. It's going to be all right.'

The small angel nodded, closed her eyes and stabbed into the heart of the orange-hair boy. No blood came out, instead white glowing wings started grew at the back of the teen and enveloped the boy, Rukia pulled out her Soul Slayer from the boy's chest before the wings enveloped him completely. She looked at the glowing wings, then at her brother with expressionless face.

When the glowing wings spread, the teen that stand in front of them had changed, he no longer had short spiky hair, but long straight orange hair and was holding a large size Soul Slayer beside him. Rukia catch Ichigo before he collapsed and looked back at Byakuya, waiting for his order.

'You know where he lives, take him back and looked after him. When he wake up, teach him how to use his Soul Slayer and his power.' Byakuya told her and flew towards the full moon.

Rukia looked at the moon for a moment, then she leaned forward to speak in Ichigo's ear: 'You are very brave Ichigo, I'll protect and help in any way I can, even if I'll lose my soul for it.'

Rukia seized him by the shoulder of his sweater, taking his large katana with her other free hand and flew towards the moon with him. When she got Ichigo back into his room through the window, she put him slowly on his bed. Brushing few of his long hair away from his face, she leaned over and brushed her lips against his forehead.

Walking back over the window she turned to look at the sleeping teen one last time before she leaved.


	4. Chapter 4

Angels & Demons

'WHAT THE HELL!' Ichigo screamed aloud the next morning when he woke up. He was in front of his mirror, the boy couldn't believe what the mirror reflected, a 15-years-old boy with long straight orange hair and big white wings at the back.

He opened his drawer, took out a pair scissors and cut his long orange-hair. The floor of his room was covered with orange hair there and here, but Ichigo's hair was still very long and did not shorten one bit.

'You're wasting your time, Ichigo. Your hair will stay that long, as long as you stay in your angelic form.' A voice behind him said.

The teen looked turned and saw his best friend, Rukia, in her school uniform sitting next to the window looking at the hairs on the floor and continue her explanation: 'You see, you can't cut your hair in your angelic form, because you don't had a rank yet. Until you had a rank, you hair will stay that long and what do you think the artists painted the angels with long hair for? Fun?'

'Huh? You mean I had to keep them like this!' Ichigo yelled at Rukia, waving some of his hair in front of her..

'Not UNTIL you had a RANK!' Rukia said with a loud voice.

'Fine.' The boy said calmly. 'Wait a minute. Then what rank are you? Since your hair was shorter than mine.'

'I'm the best out of the best, of course.' Rukia told him, like if it's obvious about it.

'That's pretty hard to believe, you know. Since your wings are smaller than mine or your brother's.' Ichigo said, eyeing his friend suspiciously.

Rukia hit him upside the head as answer and dragged him towards the window, while he protested about the hit he just received, she told him: 'I'm not here to talk about what rank I am! Nii-sama wants me to give the basics of using your Soul Slayer and about the Hollows -'

'Hollow? What's THAT?' The boy asked.

'It's what we call the devils that don't have an intelligence of whatsoever and their appearances match their brains.'

'HEY! WAIT!' Ichigo yelled and pulling back the young girl from the window. 'I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FLY YOU KNOW!'

'Oh, I forgot.' The girl said hastily at the furious boy.

* * *

Rukia taught him everything about his Soul Slayer and the Hollows, how they appeared and how to purify them, all the way to school. It was then that Ichigo remembered his appearance and started to panic, but Rukia assured him by telling him that people can't see them while they are in their angelic form, but this leads to another problem.

'HOW am I going to return to my human form?' Ichigo asked as he folded his arms over his chest and looked at Rukia who turned back into her human form.

'Well… You… Euh… RELAX! That's IT! You must try to relax yourself.' Rukia told him promptly, but the boy asked her one more time and glaring at her. 'All right! I admit it! I don't HOW you turn back into your human form! Because all of us used different ways, so I don't how you turn back into your humans form.

Ichigo started to walking in circles and cursing about this mess he got himself in, while he jerked and cursed, he didn't noticed that his hair are becoming shorter and his wings are slowly disappearing.

'Yo! Ichigo!' Somebody yelled.

'OH, SHUT THE HELL UP! DON'T YOU SEE THAT I'M HAVING A BIG SITUATION HERE!' The orange-hair boy yelled back.

'Huh? Don't tell me you're making a proposal to Rukia?' The person asked.

Ichigo turned to yell back at that person, it was Renji, he is a human, so he isn't suppose to see him. Then he touched his hair, they're short and spiky, he's back to normal again and he yelled out of joy.

* * *

Ichigo was so happy to be back into his human form that he didn't even cared about the detentions he got with Byakuya after school, because he didn't do his homework. It doesn't really matter, since walking around with long hair like a girl, it isn't normal. He spent two hours after school, to clean up the whole classroom as Byakuya ordered him for his detention, when he finished to clean the last table, it was already dark.

Suddenly, a horrible howl cried across the whole classroom. Ichigo stood frozen in his position looking outside the window to see where's the source of the terrible cry came from.

'It's a Hollow.' His teacher told him and his wings already spread. 'It's going after a human soul. Let go.'

'Euh. How?' The teen asked as Byakuya opened the window.

'Did I not told Rukia to teach you what you need to know?' The man asked.

'Well, she did. But I don't know how to turn into my angelic form.' Ichigo said.

The howl became louder and more horrible. Ichigo looked at the window and saw three ugly pairs of red eyes staring at them in the shadow, the creature came out of the darkness and roared at the two angels. It had the body of a gigantic dog with three dragon's heads, in the middle of its body there's a hole. The ghost of a little boy, whom the beast is going after, ran into the school, Byakuya cursed and jumped towards the monster with katana drew out.

Ichigo might not be able to turn into his angelic form, but he can still help. He ran down the stairs to get to the school's entrance and found the ghost hiding behind the lockers, he make sure the kid is safe, before he ran outside to where the angel was still fighting the Hollow. Ichigo ran towards it and kicked one of the heads, but his kicked didn't make a scratch and the heads in the middle rush his mouth towards Ichigo, the boy thought he was doomed and closed his eyes to receive the impact, but he didn't feel any pain, he opened his slowly and saw Byakuya standing in front of him, the monster's teeth sinking deep into his left shoulder, his face didn't showed any pain as blood dripping over his arm and cut the head into two. He looked back at the monster with only two heads left.

'Hey! Are you alright!' The boy called out looking at the injured man.

'Consider yourself lucky that my mission is not only turning you into an angel, but to assure your survival too.' The injured man said without looking at him.

'Dammit! Why can't I change? Why can't I change into my angelic form? I want to help, but with my current strength, I… DAMMIT!' The orange-hair boy yelled aloud. Suddenly his body was surrounded by a strange light, the light was so strong that it seems to repel the monster, then Ichigo became longer and wings grew at his back. He changed into his angelic form.

'Hey… Big guy. Why don't you picked on someone who had the same size as YOU!' Ichigo screamed and his Soul Slayer materialized in his hands.

The monster howled back as reply and charged at the long orange-hair boy who ran towards it with his large katana. Before one of the heads of the beast came any closer, Ichigo held his katana high in the air and swung it downward, it had cut the Hollow into two right in the middle and its body started to vanish.

The teen looked backed at the injured angel and asked: 'Are sure you're alright with that injury on your shoulder? It looks pretty bad.'

'It's alright. A captain ranked angel had far worse injuries than a small scratch like this one.' Byakuya answered the boy as he looked at his injured shoulder.

Ichigo, without realizing what's he was doing, put his hand on the injured shoulder, it started to glow brightly and the injury had been completely recover. Byakuya was a little surprise by this healing power, Ichigo was shocked when he realized what he had just done. He drew back his hand hastily and looked away. They stayed like in their position, until Rukia came to meet them, she told them that she sensed a strong evil power near the school and flew as fast as she could to come here. Her brother told her to take care of the ghost who is hitting in the school and send to Heaven. Then he turned towards the orange-hair boy and gave him a little nod, before he flew away.

* * *

When Ichigo got back home, he received the same welcoming as he usually obtained when he came back late and did the same as last time, he locked the front door and went directly to his room, while his father is whining at the front door.

In his room, Ichigo couldn't really sleep and he kept looking at the hand that healed the injury of Byakuya, he tried to forget this strange feeling he suddenly got from the angel and forced himself not to think about it. Soon, he fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Angels & Demons

The following days, Ichigo tried avoiding looking at Byakuya as much as he could, even during his detentions with him or hunting down Hollows, because every times he looked at him, he felt something very strange and it somehow scared him. Yet he didn't notice that the day he feared the most was approaching and this day will affect not only his life, but also the Three Worlds: Heaven, Earth and Hell.

It was a lovely morning, every students of Karakura High School was in the class, except Kurosaki Ichigo.

'Where is that idiot!' Rukia asked aloud looking at her watch and back at the door. 'Nii-sama is going to give more than detentions, if he enters in the middle of his class.'

'Hey, Rukia. What date is it today?' Renji asked looking at the empty seat of Ichigo.

'It's June 17th, you idiot! June… 17th…' Rukia told Renji as her eyes widen in shock. She had completely forgotten about this date, today is the day that Ichigo's mother, Masaki, died and Ichigo's whole family is going to panic at the graveyard, so that Masaki won't feel too lonely. 

Then their homeroom teacher came and told that their history teacher got sick, so she is going to teach them instead. This news really surprised Rukia more than anybody, her brother, and a captain ranked angel, sick, it's completely impossible, but something is telling her that things aren't going right. Whenever something bad was about to happen, she could feel it and this time, it is the worst of all.

* * *

'Hurry up, old man! We're already late!' Karin screamed at his father who is holding in his arms: an umbrella, theirs lunches, a soccer ball, a pair of sunglass and a blanket. Their father started to protest and he stopped until Yuzu helped him.

'Huh? Hey! Karin!' Yuzu screamed at Karin who at the top of a small hill. 'Is onii-chan with you! I can't see him anywhere behind me!'

Karin started to look around, but her brother is nowhere to be found. She had a strange feeling about the sudden disappearance of her brother. In fact, ever since this morning, she was having a bad omen that something terrible is going to happen here.

* * *

In the middle of the forest next to the graveyard, Ichigo was conversing with a invisible person.

'Can you leave me alone for a while? I just want to spend some time with my family _alone_.' Ichigo asked.

'Kurosaki Ichigo. God had ordered me to assure your survival.' A cold voice said.

No matter what Ichigo said to Byakuya since this morning in his room, the black hair man refused to let him be alone with his family and he had followed them to the graveyard, to _assure his survival_. So he finally gave up and let the angel continued to spy on him. He ran back to his family, who started to questioned him about his sudden disappearance as they cleaned the gravestone of their mother, but he told them nothing and helped them unpacked theirs lunches.

They spent an hour to talk to their mother, but they had started to repack when the clouds above them are getting darker and darker every minute. The boy told his family to go home first, because he wanted to talk to Masaki privately for a few minute, they agreed and left him next to their mother's grave. After telling her mother that he had finally became an angel and that she doesn't need to worry about him anymore. Ichigo was about to leave, but he stopped abruptly when he heard a horrible howl that's similar to the howl of the first Hollow he killed, but stronger.

'No. Not now, not here. Not in front my mother's grave.' Ichigo thought clenching his fist firmly.

Byakuya who was in the wood from above him, had hear it too. 'A Hollow? No… It is much stronger than that, but it can't be…' He thought as he looked up at clouded sky. 'Did somebody perform a summoning? It's getting nearer.'

Byakuya ducked to evade a lightning blast, he shunpo to the other side of the wood, so that the attacker would concentrated his attacks on him, instead of Ichigo.

He felt strange that he suddenly worry about the boy more than anything, ever since he healed him that night. Every and then, he could feel a certain warmth on his left shoulder when he was close to the orange-hair boy. What is this feeling? He kept asking himself and sometimes, he had the feeling that, if the boy wasn't close to him, he was nothing more than an empty shell, but right now, he must find the mysterious attacker, before he gets near the teen.

Someone blast another lightning bolt at him, revealing his position, Byakuya used this chance to attack his assailant.

* * *

Ichigo, on the other hand, was stood frozen where he was, looking at the magic circle that was suddenly trace on the ground and a demonic hand came out of the circle, soon the monster's body that looked like a werewolf emerged from the it, then his lower body which is the tail of a gigantic snake, the creature like all the Hollows was white skull mask, but this one was half broken.

'**FREE AT LAST!' **The gigantic monster roared stretching itself. **'SEAL UNDER THIS GROUND FOR 10 YEARS! FINALLY FREE! OH, LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY HAD NOT ONLY BROUGHT ME FREEDOM, BUT FOOD TOO!'**

Ichigo snapped out of his shock and looked at the beast with defiant look on his face, his body was enveloped by a strange glowing light and he had turned into his angelic form. The Hollow surprise looked at him for a moment, and then he burst into maniac laughter.

'**HAHAHAHHA! WHAT GREAT COINCIDENT! HAHAHAHAHAH!'**

The long orange-hair angel didn't see what's so funny to laugh about, charged towards the monster, but the Hollow, much faster than he looked like, held his Soul Slayer with one hand and dragged the boy closer to examine him, the longer it looked at the boy, Ichigo would have swore that the smile on the white mask widen.

'**HHAHAHAHHHA! IT **_**IS**_** YOU! KID! HHAHAHAHAH' The Hollow laugh even harder when he saw the incredulous look on Ichigo's face. 'SO YOU **_**DON'T**_** REMEMBER! THEN SHALL I REMIND YOU!'**

The hideous creature threw him aside and pick up some mud on the ground that's starting to extent itself to form something as big as a human. When the angel tried to get up, it threw something heavy on him, he looked down at the thing that's on him, it was a female body, not a dead body, but it almost looked like one.

'**KID! DO YOU REMEMBER NOW?' **It asked the boy who didn't have a clue what did he means. **'NO? THEN, MAYBE THIS WILL REMIND YOU!'**

The scaled tail of the beast whipped the mud body and the boy's like a whip, then it started to rain and the thunder roared ferociously. Ichigo's eyes widen in shock, he finally realized what did the Hollow means, as images flashed through his mind. A woman was screaming, a giant tail, it was raining, blood was spill everywhere.

'YOU! You are the one who killed my mother!' The angel growled at the Hollow. Ichigo pushed aside the muddy body and jumped towards the laughing Hollow.

* * *

Byakuya slashed through the trees to attack his mysterious enemy. After chasing him for half an hour, he finally injured his opponent.

'Can't believe that everybody said that angels are kind. Look at what you did to me and my dress!' His opponent exclaimed as he stepped out of the bushes. He had a fox-liked smile and sliver hair.

'Who are you?' The black hair angel asked the mysterious man.

'Me?' The mysterious man said pointing at himself. 'Gin Ichimaru is my name. A devil. If I were you, I better hurry and go back to the boy, cuz my friend seems to be playing with him right now.'

A high pitch scream can be heard form afar, but Byakuya did not move from his position and asked him: 'What are you here for?'

Gin smile widen, then he throw another lightning bolt at the angel who quickly dodged it, but the lightning turned back to attack him again. While the angel was distracted by the attack, the fox like man opened a portal and slipped through it.

'Have fun! I had all the information I need about the kid anyway.' Ichimaru told him as he disappeared behind the closing portal and the lightning bolt had vanished.

Byakuya didn't spend one more second to stand there and spread his wings widely, he flew into the sky as quickly as he could and headed back to the graveyard.

* * *

The Hollow was holding Ichigo by the head and lift in the mid air. The angel had cuts everywhere over his body, blood was dripping there and here, but he is still alive. The beast had been torturing him by describing how his mother died and slashing him at every word.

'**I HAD TO SAY THAT YOU'RE AS TOUGH AS YOUR MOTHER, THAT BITCH KEPT USING HER BODY AS A SHIELD TO PROTECT YOU, EVEN IF SHE AS BEATEN AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.' The Hollow told him as he tightens his grip on the boy's head. 'BUT IN THE END, I HAD WHAT I WANTED, I'LL EAT YOU AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HER AND SAY SORRY TO HAVE DIE! HAHHAHAHAAHHAAH!'**

Ichigo suddenly put his hand on the arm of the Hollow and told him: 'Who says that I'm going to say sorry?'

He squeezed hard the arm of the ugly creature, it howled in pain and let go of his prey's head. Ichigo's eyes are no longer brown, but bright yellow. He kicked the monster at the stomach and it flew a few yards away from him, he charged towards the Hollow before it had to realize what just happen and started punching his broken mask, Ichigo hit it as hard and fast with all his remaining strength, his hands was cut by the shards of the broken mask, but he didn't cared about the pain, he just continued to hit the beast.

Then the tail of the Hollow tighten his grip at his throat and threw him back to spot where he threw him, Ichigo body suddenly returned back to his human form, landed hard on the muddy ground, he tried to get up even if his body was at his limit.

'**WHAT THE HELL! THAT BITCH HAD USED SOME SPELL ON ME AND HAD BROKEN MY MASK WITH A LITTLE CRACK, BUT YOU. YOU DARED BROKE MORE THAN HALF OF MY MASK!' **The Hollow screamed and jumped towards the weak boy, but his attack was block by a black hair angel who used his free hand to cast a spell and blow the remaining mask of the Hollow.

It let out a howl of agony before he completely vanish. Ichigo used his last bit of strength to look at his savior before he fell unconscious. Byakuya sheathed his katana and took off his coat to put it on the unconscious boy, he slowly and cautiously lift him up. He leaned neared his ear to whisper something to him before he flew with him in his arms into the raining sky.


	6. Chapter 6

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

Somewhere at the underworld, Gin approached an empty throne and kneels in front of it.

'Aizen-sama, I have returned.' Gin said and bows his head.

A strong wind suddenly blew around the empty throne, then a man with brown hair appeared on the throne, he looked at Gin, with a wide smile and welcomed him back to Hell, then he added: 'How is our researches are going?'

'Aizen-sama. The child of Minerva's Tears had not only the power of an angel as you suspected, but there is also a fragment of his soul developing certain _demonic_ ability.' Ichimaru told his master without looking up.

'Show me, this _ability_ of his, Gin.' He said and lifts up his right hand to tell his servant to approach closer to him.

His servant get up and kneel right next to him, Aizen put his hand on his head like comforting a crying child and close his eyes. Several pictures flashed through his mind; how the boy obtained his angelic form, at the graveyard, facing the Hollow who killed his mother, then his eyes became bright yellow and attacked the Hollow.

'I see. Looks like the boy had a Hollow resided inside of him, do you know where this demon came from, Gin?' Aizen asked as he removed his hand from the kneeled man's head, but the man simply said no. 'Before his soul was completely constructed when he was small, while her mother kept protecting him from the Hollow, another powerful demon had fade away that day, it must have sensed the boy's power and decided to merge with his soul for survival. Looks like all these years, it was evolving in the boy's inner world, and now, it is trying to take over the boy's body and power, but it's not possible for him yet.'

'Do you want me to give him a little push?' Gin joked.

'No need. I'll just lure it out of the body, if the boy wasn't able to dominate it, then we'll move to phase two. Now –' Aizen said walking to another chamber where there is ten crystal coffins, each bore a number from one to ten. 'Which one should I pick for our little new friend, Gin?'

'I would pick this one if you asked.' Gin told him pointing at the coffin numbered a big number three.

'But I think our friend deserved this one here.' The man said placing his hand on the coffin next to him. 'Our first gift must be the best, don't you think?'

The fox-like man let out a little whistle and said sarcastically: 'He is pretty vicious, it took you at less three years before you could even manipulate him. Don't you think it is a little overboard, giving him this toy? I fear he would become the toy more than playing with him?'

'Oh, Gin. I told you that I'll lure his demonic side, so I need someone who is as vicious as the demon within him. Even if the boy was unable to contain it tonight, then the monster would consider this gift, his new toy.' The devil said as his smile widen maliciously at the coffin which bore the number six.

Byakuya looked at the struggling orange-hair on his bed, it's been nearly five hour since they left the graveyard. He told his family that he is going to stay over at his apartment for his detentions and he also sent some of the boy's blood to the angels in Heaven for analysis.

The window was suddenly burst opened, a beautiful dove with bright blue eyes landed at the window, a strange lighted dust started spread from its eyes and formed an glowing orb, an angel with blond hair covered half of his face appeared within it.'

'Report.' The captain ranked angel said without taking his eyes off the teen.

'Yes, sir. The 12th Squad had sent in the first report of the analysis. It seems like the boy had not only angelic power, but also the ones from a devil.' The angel reported. 'His demonic power was still unstable, but the power was still strong, at least similar to first class devil.'

Byakuya was still looking at the injured boy and asked: 'What does our Lord said?'

'Our Lord want the boy survived, since he is the last child of the Minerva's Tears. But if he becomes a certain threat, you must eliminate him. That is all, Captain of 6th Division. Izuru Kira report.' The man said and vanished with the blue glowing orb.

He placed a hand over the boy's forehead and said in a very soft voice: 'Be strong. Fight back, don't let it overpower you. Come back to me.'

It's cold and dark here. He can hardly feel anything, his body was so heavy that he can't even move one of his fingers. Is he dead?

'Don't worry, you aren't dead. If you are, you'll give me lot of trouble to continue my existence in here. Here, let give you a little help.' A strange voice said, the heavy weight he felt on his body was lifted and he slowly opened his eyes to see who the owner of this strange voice is.

Then he saw that he was sitting sideway at the center of a building, but he didn't felt the gravity pulling him down even though he was on the sideway of a building, he cautiously get up and looked around to see several more similar building, he turned to the clouded sky, but no one else was here.

'Looking for me?' The strange voice whispered in his ear.

Ichigo quickly turned and he almost screamed in shock at what he saw, the owner of the strange voice was him, his skin is pale, wearing a white kimono, his hair was white and his eyes are black and yellow.

'Surprise? I guess you should be, since this our first meeting. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Hollow.' He told Ichigo with a little grin.

'Hollow?! What the… You are one those -' Before he could finish his sentence, the Hollow him kicked hard at his stomach and he cough out some blood.

'Shut up! I didn't bring you here to meet you and have a cup of tea.' The Hollow growled as the boy who tried to straighten himself up after the hit. 'You have been the King for quite some time now, so I think it is time for you to have some vacation here and I, take over your weak body.'

'What? What do you mean?' The orange-hair boy asked wiping away the blood on his mouth with his sleeve.

'You still don't understand? I had been existing in your stupid shell since your mother died, you are hurt both physical and mental, so it's easy to get into your soul and reside inside it, but back then I was still weak, so I can't over throne you, but the time had come for me to become the King!' He snarled and charged towards Ichigo, who is prepared to block the hit, changed into his angelic form with his Soul Slayer at hand, he blocked the strike with his katana, but he got backed away a few step.

'Oh, I had completely forgotten that you are no longer a pathetic human, but a pathetic angel. In fact, why don't I show, my _angelic_ form.' He said sarcastically and a dark light started to envelop him. After a minute or two, the dark light dispersed to reveal the Hollow with scaled bat wings, long shaped claws, he was holding a large and elegant cleaver blade, it doesn't have a hilt and it was wrapped in cloth at the tang instead.

The angel was astonished by the form of the Hollow and the sword he was holding. While he was surprised by it, the Hollow jumped into mid air and launch a dark red energy blast at him. The boy used the sword to block the attack just in time before he suffered even more serious damages, but the blast had burned his right shoulder.

'Hey! If all ya ever do, it's to defend yourself, it wouldn't be very fun! Now, why don't you show some back bones!' He snarled and released more dark red energy sphere at him.

Ichigo evaded them all, jumping from one spot to another. The Hollow pursued him restlessly until the angel received one energy sphere directly at the back and fell to his knees, he used this opportunity to blast more spheres at him which caused Ichigo being blast through this building to other behind it.

The boy had returned to his human form, his Soul Slayer got broken into two, but he was still holding the hilt tightly and laid face down motionless. When the Hollow got through the building, he put his feet on the head of the blood soaked orange-hair boy and stepped on him hard.

'Tsk. You're no fun. I can't believe that I was serving such a weak pathetic king. Ya just useless, I should have taking over ya a long time ago.' He growled at the still motionless boy.

'I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry…' Ichigo thought as he felt that death is getting nearer. It was then that he started to hear voices.

'Ya really weak kid. Get back up and fight.'

'Mother really like the sunset and this place is the best view I ever saw in my entire life.'

'How should I remember? After death, I felt like my memories are no longer important and they just disappeared one by one. Hey, don't cry Ichigo. I might have lost my memories because I never truly paid any attention to them, since they are pretty painful ones, but I'm sure that you're able to keep them close to you, they are precious, right?'

'Don't worry, I might be going to Heaven soon. I'm just a little faded, but I'm still Ok. I just wish that you'll remember me Ichigo, so that even if I lost all my memories at Heaven. If I ever become an angel and come back, remind me Ok?'

'The name is Abarai Renji, nice to meet ya! And this Kuchiki Rukia. Be careful, she doesn't like anyone talk about her stupid rabbit drawing. OUCH!'

'You better be careful around him, Kurosaki. He might look kind and gentle, but he is a ruthless and idiotic pervert. OUCH!'

'You are very brave Ichigo, I'll protect and help in any way I can, even if I'll lose my soul for it.'

'Huh? Don't tell me you're making a proposal to Rukia?'

'It's alright. A captain ranked angel had far worse injuries than a small scratch like this one.'

'Be strong, Ichigo.'

'Come back to me.'

While the boy was lost within the dozen of voice, the Hollow started to lose his patience to wait for the boy's reaction. He held his blade high in the air and slashed down, but his attack was stopped by a hand, he looked down and saw the boy clutching the blade with one hand.

'I… Remember… I remember…' Ichigo said weakly and looked up to his Hollow.

'I don't what ya remember, I cared if you'll just die.' The heartless monster said indifferently.

'I promise to someone… That I'll keep his memories with me… I cannot die until he comes back… That is why…' The teen told the creature still clutching the blade as he got up. 'That is why you must DIE!'

He swung his broken sword at the Hollow who jumped back without his blade, the boy didn't waste a second. He threw away his broken katana and charged at the monster with the blade. When the monster landed, he got his heart pierced by his own blade, he looked stunned at the boy.

'So your heart leads you to your victory, but be warn, if you ever give me the chance to take over, I'll make sure you won't get the chance to strike me by surprise again, King.' The white-hair Ichigo said as he turned into dust and being absorbed by the blade.

Then the shadow of the blade grew bigger and a man appeared, he looked like 30 or 40-years-old with long brown hair and wore a sunglass.

'That guy really likes to be on top of everything, forcing me into the blade.' The old man told the injured boy. 'Forgive me, may I present myself, my name is Zangetsu.'

'Huh? You mean this blade is you and you are the blade?' Ichigo asked and held up the blade.

'Correct. I'm the reflection of your heart, while the Hollow the reflection of the opposite you. During the fight in the graveyard, your soul had suddenly weakened and his power grew stronger, so he took over your inner world and me.' The man said and turned to look at the bright sky. 'Now. You must leave. You mustn't stay here too long, your soul and body are already gravely injured, you need to rest.'

The boy felt like the world was crumbling under his feet and fell into darkness.

Ichigo did not opened his eyes yet, because the weight he felt a while ago was back, but he felt a strange warmth on his forehead, he decide to open his eyes slowly to see where this warmth came from.

He saw Byakuya, his eyes closed and his glowing hand on his forehead, he guessed that the man was healing him, so he decide to let the man continued his healing and go back to sleep.

The angel, who was healing him, opened his eyes and removed his hand on the boy's forehead when he sensed that the power of Ichigo became stable.

'So you won, Ichigo. I'm glad.' He said and looked out of the window. 'But the battle might just had begins.'


	7. Chapter 7

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

Somewhere neared the graveyard a portal was opened. Gin stepped out of the portal to smell the fresh air.

'It's great to walk around at night than at day, don't you two think?' He asked as he stretched himself and looked back at the two newcomers from the closing portal. 'I think we will have lot and lot of fun in this world.'

* * *

Ichigo stirred, his body still had that heavy weight on him, he slowly opened his tired eyes and looked around the room, he realized that it isn't his room, then he looked at the window next to him, the sun was high in the sky, luckily it was Sunday and he doesn't need to go to school.

'So you're finally awake?' A cold, but familiar voice asked him.

'Yeah, I'm fine. But I still feel very heavy.' Ichigo said as he tried to get up.

'I might have healed some your injuries, but other needs time to be completely healed. Don't force yourself to get up, what you need right now is rest.' He told the boy and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while the other held a sliver tray of soup and bread. 'I had warned your family that you are here for your detentions, so rest.'

'Byakuya, I thought -'

'Do not mistake. I do this to assure your survival. Eat and sleep.' The black hair man told the orange-hair boy, shoved the sliver tray into his hands.

He was about to leave the room, but at the last minute, he turned and asked: 'Who is he?'

'Who? What do you mean?' Ichigo asked and put down his spoon.

'While you are asleep, you kept saying 'I'll kept your memories' and 'I'll wait for you'. Who is this person you are waiting for?' He asked.

'To tell you the truth, I couldn't really remember how he looked like, but I remember that it was him that I started to learn how to fight. That day, I wandered aimlessly on the river bank, hoping that I could find mom, but instead, I met him. Back then I didn't know he was dead, he just sat there and looked at the sunset like my mother used to. I ignored him and I continue my search, then a gang came and attack, saying that I'm walking around their territory, I tried to fight back, but I was too weak, then he came and kinda scared them away, I was very mad and yelled at him.' The boy told him and looked out the window.

'After that, I spent most of my times to fight him and then I just stopped. Everyday, I ran to the river bank to see him, he taught me a few moves or talked about me. Then he somehow started to fade, those days I was really worry, but he told me that it's alright and he might be going to Heaven. The day before he completely disappeared in my life, he asked me to remind him how we met, how he taught to fight, everything. He said that he was afraid that he'll forget me like he forgot his memories, so we made each other a promise, that we will remind each other, if we ever met in the future. And he just disappeared, as the year passed, I started to forget his face, but the events were still as clear as if it just happen yesterday.' He continue his story, looking up at the sun, he used his hand to block the sunlight.

'Is he very important to you? That it had given you, the strength to defeat your inner Hollow?' The man asked as he looked at the window.

'Important. I don't know. I'm not sure about this. I kept my promise because he was the person who shared my pain after my mother died, but I never had the chance to thank him. I think that the reason.' Ichigo said and started to drink his soup.

'Rest for now. I'll help you find him if you want to, but you must rest until you're fully recovered.' Byakuya told him and headed towards the door.

'Thank you, Byakuya' Ichigo said, the man stood at the opened door for a minute and leaved without another word.

* * *

'Wow! The real world is more fun than I imagine, Gin-san!' A little girl with short green hair screamed aloud at the balcony of an apartment.

'Neliel, why did you turn yourself into this small child body, when your original form was already very attractive?' The silver hair man asked at the girl from the armchair in the living room.

'That's because. Being a little girl is more cute and adorable than when I'm in my adult form, I don't like people stared at me. Beside, I can move more freely than in my original form in this world.' Neliel answered and ran back inside the apartment. 'Huh? Where is berry head?'

'Now that you mention it, I didn't see our vicious little friend around here for a moment.' Gin said as he looked around the apartment. 'Oh well. As long as he doesn't kill any living human, I'm sure he'll be fine. By the way, I had registered him to the same school as our little angel, but you will just stay here.'

'Huh?! That's not fair! Why does berry head is going to school for fun and I had to stay in here!' The child cried and whined.

'That's because you are a kid now. So you cannot go to a school for big kids.' The man simply told the child.'

* * *

After a few days, Ichigo was fully recovered and headed back to school. On his way to school, he saw a little girl walking at the green light, a car was running towards her. He immediately dropped his school bag and ran to the child, he caught her just in time before the car ran through her. They rolled to the other side of the street, he looked down at the kid and asked: 'You alright kid? You should be careful when you walk through a street, it's dangerous!'

'Thank… You… Onii-chan…' The trembling girl said.

The boy got up and removed the dusts on the girl. It was then that he noticed the odd hair color of the girl, it was green, but he thought that it isn't his business to mind what other people's hair color was.

'You don't think I'm strange?' The green hair girl suddenly asked.

Ichigo stared at the girl for a moment before he answered: 'Not really. It's just the color of your hairs that's a little strange, but I think it's beautiful. Uh-oh! I'm going to be late! Be careful for now! Bye!'

He ran back to the other side of the street to pick up his school bag, then the girl screamed from the other side of the street: 'My name is Nel Tu! What's your name Onii-chan?!'

'My name is Kurosaki Ichigo! See ya!' The boy screamed back and ran as quick as he could to reach his school before the bell rang.

'Kurosaki Ichigo. So he is the one that we're supposed to observe. Lucky!' The girl screamed and jumped around. 'Berry head won't be the only one who's going to play with him. Yay!'

* * *

At class, Ichigo was glad that he made it in time before the bell rang, even if he must suffered the thousands of questions from Renji and Rukia. It is better than get more detentions from Byakuya. Then their history teacher entered the class and told the whole class: 'Today, we are going to welcome two new students to our class. Ishida Uryuu and Inoue Orihime.'

He pointed at the two new students next to the window, the boy simply nodded at them and the girl waved at the whole class cheerfully. Then he started his lecture, but he added to Ichigo: 'Kurosaki. Stay after class for detentions, because you are not wearing indoor shoes.'

Renji, Rukia and Ichigo looked at his shoes that aren't the indoor shoes, he wanted to protest, but he decided to give up the idea to argue, because he got the feeling that the two new students are some allies of Heaven.

During recess, Byakuya explained to Ichigo that the two new students are part of a religion society known as Holy, servant of God, they are here to aid them, because the angels had reported strange activities around Karakura town. Then Ishida and Orihime presented themselves individually:

'Ishida Uryuu. Age 15. I'm Vice-captain of the Defense Department of Holy. I'm also a Quincy, archer who had high spiritual energy. Please to meet you.'

'Inoue Orihime. Also age 15. I'm Vice-captain of the Healing Department of Holy. But people know me better as one of the Maiden of Mary'

'Euh, Maiden of Mary?' Ichigo asked.

'Mary Magdalene, one of the disciple twelve disciples chosen by the son of God himself and was bless by seven different powers from God after the death of his son. The Maidens of Mary was said to be those who hold one of the seven powers of the Seven Virtues of Mary Magdalene.' Byakuya explained.

'So what the hell is going on since I was knocked out?' The orange-hair boy asked getting a little impatience.

'Unknown. The angels had sensed a strong wave of evil spreading in Kurakara town, but what caused it, they are still investigating, so they have sent us to aid you, in case of an out break of Hollows.' Ishida explained.

When the bell rang, they stopped their discussion. As the class came in and took their place in class. Byakuya was about to leave, when a newcomer entered the room. He had teal hair, cerulean eyes with some blue and green lines under his eyes, he wore an evil grin on his face.

Their homeroom teacher came in, present this new student to the whole class and Byakuya: 'Everybody. I just receive from the principal that there is a new transfer student from America, I hope all of you welcome, Grimmjow.'


	8. Chapter 8

Angels & Demons

I want to ask if the story was getting greater or is it getting worse? So please review.

* * *

Angels & Demons

Half of the class started to whisper silently and the other half just stared at the new transfer students, except Ichigo who got this strange feeling about this new classmate, he looked at the other to see what do they think: Ishida and Inoue looked at each other with a very worry expression, Rukia was trembling and Byakuya just glanced at the new student with his emotionless face and leave.

'Grimmjow, your seat is next to Abarai.' Their homeroom teacher told Grimmjow.

As he passed next to Ichigo, their eyes met, the whole classroom seemed to frozen in time and plunged into darkness, he looked at the other to see if they noticed it, but neither Rukia or the two member of Holy notice something.

'They won't notice anything, since you're in my domain.' Grimmjow said with a smirk.

'What did you do to them, you bastard?' The teen asked calmly even though his anger is rising.

'Nothing. I just brought you here with me, they wouldn't notice anything and all they'll see is you listening to the teacher speech. I just want to tell you that if you aren't much of a fun tonight at the graveyard, then I think one of your friend will do the trick, maybe that little girl next to you.' He said with an evil grin on his face.

'DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT IT!' Ichigo shouted aloud.

'KUROSAKI! YOU CANNOT SCREAM TO YOUR TEACHER LIKE THAT!' The homeroom teacher yelled at him.

Ichigo apologized and looked at everyone in the class, everything was back to normal. He looked at Rukia who gave him the look 'be careful next time'.

* * *

'You won't go to meet him tonight, Kurosaki.' Byakuya told Ichigo after school at the entrance of the school.

'Why? Just because I got beaten by that Hollow at the graveyard that doesn't mean I can't fight! You know that my power grow everyday! I can beat him!' The orange-hair boy yelled and punches the wall.

The angel waited for the boy to calm himself before he explained: 'I know your power was growing, but this might be what they want, to know how much your power had grown.'

'I don't care! I don't want him to lay his hand on my friend! Fine! If you even cared about their lives! I will.' Ichigo screamed and then his teacher hit him at the stomach, he fell unconscious into his arms.

'Sorry, but you are too important. I cannot let you go.' Byakuya whispered to him.

* * *

_A little orange-hair boy was running under the rain, it was raining hard, but he still continued to run._

_Someone needed him._

_The boy ran to a river bank, he screamed, he screamed for that person._

* * *

Byakuya was looking down at the sleeping teen, while his fingers were running over the boy's cheek. He didn't know why he suddenly cared so much about the boy, when he was nothing, but his guardian, just a shield to protect him. Yet he didn't cared what the boy might think of when he wakes up, he just want him to safe, that's all.

He spread his wings, ready to leave and meet the unknown enemy. He looked back at peacefully sleeping Ichigo, without knowing that he was trap inside his darkest memories, and flew into the cold air of the night.

* * *

_Then he saw that person, he yelled at him to run._

_Something was behind him._

_It saw him._

_It ran towards him._

_Blood, there is blood everywhere._

* * *

'I should have known that the boy would chicken out.' Grimmjow said, sat on one of the gravestone under the cloudy sky, he was wearing a white hakama with a black sash and a white jacket, he looked the three armed teenagers and asked: 'So you three are going to replace him?'

'Who the hell are you and what do you want with Ichigo?!' Rukia yelled and put her hand on the hilt of her sword, Ishida and Orihime back away a little to release their weapon.

Before any of them realized what happen, Grimmjow arm shot into the stomach of Rukia who cough out some blood, Ishida released an arrow towards Grimmjow, but instead of hitting the target, it shot through Rukia's shoulder, Grimmjow had used her body as a shield. The devil threw Rukia back to them, they caught the body. Then he jumped in the air and blasted three red energy balls at them, but they all got blew in mid-air, the devil turned to meet the angel.

'Captain Kuchiki!' Ishida screamed while holding Rukia's unconscious body.

'Leave! Now!' Byakuya ordered and started to cast a spell. 'Destructive Art 33: Blue Fire, Crash Down!'

A blue flame was released from his hand with a deadly speed at the devil, but he easily evaded it. Grimmjow let out a maniac laugh and told the angel that he is as weak as the three below them.

Ignoring the insult, Byakuya, buying more time for his three companions to escape, cast another spell: 'Destructive Art 4: White Lightning!'

* * *

_Everything was getting cold._

_Somebody was holding him tightly, it gave him warmth._

_Yet he still felt very cold._

* * *

Grimmjow evaded the spell again, but when he evaded it, a sword swung towards his head, but he caught the blade just in time, he looked into the eyes of his opponent, smiles maliciously and told him: 'Ya are not half bad. I guess I can have some fun after all.'

'Boring. I only cut down all those who disturb the peace of the Great Heaven.' Byakuya replied as he pulled his sword out of the hand of Grimmjow and strikes again.

The devil evaded the strike and kicked the angel at the face, which got knocked a few yards away. Byakuya straighten himself up and wiped away the blood on his mouth.

'So how do you wanna die, angel?' The teal hair man asked and let out a hysterical laugh before he drew out his sword.

* * *

'_Let…Him…Go…'_

'_Soul… Give…Me…Go…'_

'_I'm sorry…'_

* * *

Ichigo bolts up from his bed, sweating and panting, he looked around his dark room searching for the monster that had attack him, but he realized that he was just dreaming, then he remembered about the challenge of Grimmjow and Byakuya who knocked him unconscious to prevent him to fight his enemy.

'Byakuya, you bastard.' Ichigo cursed under his breath. He jumped through the window and turned into his angelic form, he flew towards the graveyard.

When he arrived at the graveyard, there is nobody, but the traces of destructions. Then he went into the forest near the graveyard, where he found Orihime healing a half-conscious Rukia, Ishida explained to him that Byakuya was fighting Grimmjow to buy them time to escape and to hide.

'Where the hell is that bastard then?' Ichigo yelled and grabbed the collar of Ishida uniform.

'Captain Kuchiki saw us hiding in the wood, so he decided to attract the enemy to another battlefield, so neither of them might harm us.' Ishida explained calmly.

The orange-hair angel cursed, he wanted to find that guy and hit him as hard as he can for knocking him unconscious, but he is also worry about him. He looked up at the cloudy sky as if the angel will appeared in any moment, then he slowly closed his eyes and concentrated on Byakuya's spirit energy. Suddenly, he was surrounding by thousands of spirit threads, he concentrated harder and he finally found the one of the angel. Without wasting another minute he flew towards the direction of spirit threads.

* * *

Somewhere near the river bank, the angel and the devil battled fiercely. Grimmjow only got a few scratch over his arms, Byakuya got cut at his neck and left arm, he was bleeding badly, but he showed no sign of tiredness in front his enemy.

'I'm getting tire to play with ya. So let's end this quickly.' The devil told the injured angel.

'Agreed.' The black hair angel simply answered.

Grimmjow laugh and slide his two of his fingers on the blade of his sword which started to bleed, then he jumped above the angel and yelled: 'EAT THIS!'

Byakuya was ready to block whatever attack the devil might use, but when someone behind him screamed out his name, he let his guard down and turned to see Ichigo flying towards him fast.

When Ichigo was only a few steps away from Byakuya, Grimmjow screamed: 'Gran Rey Cero!' Above them, a large blue ray shot from his bleeding hand. The injured angel placed himself above Ichigo to shield him from the attack, but the attack was so powerful that had pushed Byakuya to the orange-hair angel and from the air to the ground.

Dust was flying everywhere around the two angels, Ichigo peered through the dust to see if the other angel was fine, but all he saw was only blood. When the dust settled, he found the other coved in blood and half of his body was burned, but Byakuya was still alive. He struggled to get up in the arms of the boy and he kept saying in a very weak voice: 'Let…Him…Go…'

'Huh? Ya want me to let him go when the kid finally arrive? I don't think so. Unless you give me your soul that is.' Grimmjow told the badly injured angel and laugh loudly. Then he stopped and let out a great painful screamed, he looked at his bleeding shoulder, someone had cut off his left arm, then he looked down at Ichigo whose eyes color are not longer brown, but in bright yellow.


	9. Chapter 9

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

'You bastard.' Grimmjow cursed as he looked into the bright eyes of the angel.

'You cut him twice and you burned half of his body. Now, I only cut you once, you still got one cut and a burn to receive.' Ichigo replied, putting the still wrapped by the cloth Zangetsu which was tainted by the blood of Grimmjow's arm on his shoulder.

'Well. You owe me, my ARM!' The devil screamed and charged at the oranged-hair boy with his sword, but he suddenly felt his whole body being frozen in time and became vulnerable to any attack from the boy.

'Didn't I tell you that you still had a cut and a burn to receive?' The angel asked looking at Grimmjow with the eyes of a devil, then in a second he was a few inch away from the teal hair man's face, the cloth wrapped around Zangetsu was unwrapped and he slash his sword upward, cutting the bare chest of the devil.

After the attack, Grimmjow regain control of his body, but the strike was so strong that he got back away a few feet in the air. He didn't cared how badly his body got injured, but how the boy had frozen time of his body, he remembered that Gin had said something about the boy had a powerful devil inside him, but there is no way a devil will obey a weakling like him, yet the power he sensed right now does belong to a devil.

Ichigo held up his sword again, he leapt towards the devil yelling: 'Getsuga Tenshou!' A red-tinged black energy wave was released from his sword and he jumped to the back of Grimmjow to release another energy wave, trapping the devil in the middle of the two attacks and then he landed back on the ground. The two attacks clashed, but the devil breathing hard was still standing, his whole clothes were stained by his own blood.

The angel was about to release one last energy wave to finish off his opponent, but he fell to his knees and blood dripped from the tip of his mouth.

Grimmjow smirk and asked: 'What? That's all ya got? Two hits and ya down? Well, I think it's time for you to pay back my arm!' He concentrated his remaining spiritual energy to create a Gran Rey Cero.

Before the energy ray hit the orange-hair boy, the angel closed his wings together to form a shield to protect him from the attack. When the attack hit, the dusts and rubbles flew around the target. When the dusts settled, the angel got half of his left wing and left shoulder injured by the hit, he laid flat on the ground.

Grimmjow grinned, seeing a perfect opportunity to kill the angel, he was about to charge towards Ichigo, but a voice came into his mind and stopping him in his tracks: 'Grimmjow, you are order to retreat.'

'What the hell?!' The teal man mentally cursed. 'I fought this hard to get the boy that weaken so that I could finish him off and you are telling me right now to retreat?'

'Aizen-sama wants the boy alive, not dead. And I suggest you retreat, before he listed you in his traitor list.' The other devil's voice echoed inside Grimmjow's mind.

The devil scoffed, he looked down at the two injured angels on the ground and yelled to the orange-hair angel: 'Ya lucky this time, but don't expect another!' Then he disappeared in thin air, without realizing that Ichigo did not hear anything he just said, because someone else was shouting inside the boy's head.

'Ya know King! If you want to get rid of me, you better find another way than this! Absorbing me into your own spiritual energy! You _might_ die, but I won't! You pathetic King!' The Hollow yelled.

'What are you talking about? What do you mean?' Ichigo asked.

'Don't you _dare_ tell me you don't even know what you just did?' The Hollow said in threatening tone.

'Calm yourself down, Hollow.' The voice of Zangetsu said.

'Calm Down! Let see ya can calm down when he freaking was absorbed ya into his body to charge up his power!' The Hollow yelled at Zangetsu. 'No, I shouldn't ask ya, since you are his power.'

'I must tell you that I'm as surprise as you are. He suddenly stopped using my power and concentrated more on your power.' Zangetsu explained.

Ichigo was only half listening on what Zangetsu was explaining about his sudden change of energy charge, he felt tire and worried about the other angel's life, but he also questioned himself about how he received the sudden charge of power from the beginning of the battle. While questioning himself, he slowly fell asleep without Zangetsu or the Hollow noticing.

* * *

When Ichigo finally woke up, he found himself in a warm bed and bandage was wrapped on his left shoulder and a girl with bright orange hair was sitting next to him.

'You are finally awaked, I guess I can go back now.' She said with a small smile and as if she could read his mind she added. 'You're at Rukia-san's house, Captain Kuchiki was badly injured, but he is alright and he rest in the room right across the hallway. I'll go and tell Rukia-san that you awake and fine.'

Ichigo was relieved to hear that Byakuya was alive, if another person died because of him, just like his mother, he wouldn't forgive himself. Suddenly he felt a sense of hatred boiling in his veins, he shouldn't be happy, he should be mad at that stupid idiot to have knock him unconscious and fight his fight. He bolts up and ran to the next room across the hallway, without even bothering to knock the door, he rush into the room.

Byakuya was sitting on the bed and shocked to see the angry teen burst into his room, before he could ask what the orange-hair teen wanted, the boy already started to yell at the black hair man, cursing him with every bad word in the world and hitting him, but avoid hitting where there are bandages, until he felt that all his anger was gone.

When the boy had released all his anger, he fell to his knees next to the angel and hiding his face within his hands. Byakuya saw a drop of tear on the boy's face, then he slowly put his arms around the shoulders of the teen, but the orange-hair teen struggled to get the arms off him. The angel didn't cared the pain on him, pulling Ichigo closer and pressed his lips on the boy's, the teen stopped struggling and stared into the dark blue eyes for a second before he closed his eyes to savor the taste of the angel's lips. Then he pulled back slightly and leaned forward to speak in the teen's ear: 'I don't say this often, so it's precious. I love you.'

Ichigo was surprised by the sudden revelation, but he slowly wrapped his arms around the black hair man's neck and whispered his name.

Outside the room, Rukia was standing next to door, shocked by what she just saw and heard, she slowly walked back down the stair and she was outside of the house, she broke into a run.

* * *

Renji was on his way back to his house when he saw a strangely familiar silhouette in the park, then he realized that it was Rukia who is standing next to the tree in the park, he ran towards her.

'Hey! Rukia! Huh? What's wrong?' Renji was pushed back to the tree by Rukia who hid her face in the chest of the red hair boy. 'Hey! What the hell is going on? Did something happen? Is it Ichigo?'

'SHUT UP!' Rukia cried and sobbed. 'I… I like Ichigo… I really love him… Dearly… But I know… I cannot decide who he loves… Yet… These tears won't stop… I won't… After tonight… I won't… I won't cry for him anymore…'

Renji thought he should be mad at Ichigo who had hurt Rukia, but he somehow felt happy that she won't have a chance with Ichigo. He loved her since the first day he saw her, but he never had the courage to tell her and after they met Ichigo, Rukia secretly told him that she loved the orange-hair boy, he had completely gave up about the idea to tell her his feeling. He slid a comforting hand on the girl's neck and waist, holding her tightly in his arm, letting her cried on him.


	10. Chapter 10

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

'That brat is going to pay for my old arm.' An angry Grimmjow said as a deformed arm was growing on his left shoulder, blood was spilling on the carpet of the living room.

'Grimmjow. I don't object you coming back home with a bad temper, but please don't stain the carpet.' The devil with fox-like smile told the angry teal hair man, who came back with his body completely covered with blood and a missing arm which now slowly regenerating, he handed him a wet towel.

The other devil snatched the towel from Gin's hand and whipped away the dried blood on his face. He can't believed that he was beaten by a rookie angel, but he also wandered why did this boy looked somehow so familiar to him, as if they have met somewhere before. That is completely impossible, since he had no memories of his past life and he had been asleep in that crystal coffin for years, there is no way he had met that orange-hair boy before.

He held up the deformed arm of his staring at it for a second or two before he asked: 'What the hell is he?'

'The child of the Minerva's Tears. The last surviving heir of the most powerful angel in the Great Heaven.' The silver answered and walked to the window to look outside.

'I mean what _is_ he really? No angel could have the power of a devil, is one of us or what?' Grimmjow asked impatiently.

'All I know is that the kid had inner demon inside of him since he was very small, it was evolving for the past years. Aizen-sama wants to recruit it, so he sent us to observe him and wait for the chance to capture it.' Gin replied.

'Perfect. I'll have all time I need to beat that guy.' The teal hair man said as he clenched his fist.

* * *

Back at Rukia House, Ichigo fell asleep on the lap of the black hair angel. Byakuya looked at the sleeping teen as he gently stroked the bright orange hair of the boy, he really wish that the time of world will stop, so that this moment will never fade away and that both don't need to face the harsh reality of this cruel world. He need more power, he thought, with his current strength, he can't protect the boy in anyway.

He was lost inside his thought until a cherry blossom petal fell into his other hand, he looked at the flower petal for a second before he said: 'Senbonzakura.'

'It had been a while since you last summon me.' An old feminine voice answered.

The angel turned his head towards the window, where an old cherry blossom tree materialized out of nowhere, petals was blew into the air like the winter snow.

'Yes. It had been a very long time since I called you. How long was it already?' Byakuya asked and looked back at the sleeping teen.

'It was almost a hundred years. Since your heart was broken.' The feminine voice said.

'You mean since Hisana died.' The angel corrected. He remembered this event like if it had just happen yesterday. A hundred years ago, he was the guardian angel of the most beautiful woman in the town, who also had the power to see ghosts and angels, she always talk to him when they are alone and they fell in love with each other as they spent more time together. Until the tragic day, Hisana's little sister, Rukia, was about to eaten by a pack of hungry devils, the beautiful lady begged him to save her sister, he did, but he had left her vulnerable to the demons and she got killed. From that day forth, he lost the power to use Senbonzakura, as for Rukia, he had guarded her since then until she became an angel and had adopted her as a sister.

As if the tree stared at the injured angel for a while before it spoke again: 'I see. This boy is really the Minerva Tear's child after all, to have healed your long scarred broken heart. You never wanted anyone to mention her name, not even her own sister or yourself. Do not worry, I will help you to protect this child, now that you had regain the strength of your heart. I will serve you in any way I can.'

Senbozakura gone as it came. It had left on the head of the sleeping orange-hair boy a five-petal cherry blossom as a gift to thank Ichigo to heal her master heart.

'Blossom doesn't match the bright hair of his.' Byakuya said to no one particular.


	11. Chapter 11

Angels & Demons

A short chapter for Rukia and Renji. Then I'll go back towards Ichigo and Byakuya.

* * *

Angels & Demons

Rukia had spent the last hour and a half to cry on Renji who is now complaining about his wet shirt: 'Man, you cry baby. It's completely wet.'

'No wonder you never had a girlfriend! You kept complaining everything I do! Especially every girls on Earth cry once a while! You big freaking idiot!' Rukia yelled.

'You don't need to yell that loud you know!' The red hair boy yelled back, but immediately regret to yell back, because the black hair girl was about to cry again. 'Ok. It's my fault, but… I… Euh… I just hope you understand that it's not _your_ fault.'

'Why everyone said this!' The girl yelled. 'Not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't you people knew how hurt it does when all of you say this to me?!'

Renji looked down at the angry young woman, he never saw her very mad and sad before.

'Every time I heard this phase, it felt like a thousand knives pierce through my heart. I don't want to run away from what happen or lie to myself, but all of you must make it looked like I've been running away. Can anyone understand?' Rukia said and walked away from the red hair boy so he can't see more tears on her face.

This action triggered an old memory of Renji, who looking at the backside of the girl, it was when she told him that she loved Ichigo.

* * *

_That day, the sky was cloudy and cold wind blew through the black hair of Rukia, she stared at the cloudy sky close the hill as if something will fell in any moment. Renji asked her why she is staring the grey sky._

'_Renji. I think I love Ichigo.' The young woman simply answered. This caused quite a shock to Renji who tried the best as he could to hide it and continued to listen. 'I thought I might have mistaken this feeling, but it felt somehow similar to _his_.'_

'His_? Whose feeling is she talking about?' Renji questioned himself, he had been by her side for so long, he never saw her had any date with other boy._

_Rukia walked to the edge of the hill and breathe in the cold air around her. Then she looked down at the hill, her black hair was covering her face and he was behind her, but he knew that she was somehow silently crying._

'_All I could do is only looking after you from afar. I cannot help, I'm the one who is useless, and after all I'm a coward, I can't even tell you what I felt about you.' The boy told himself. 'I really wanted to hold you in my hand forever, but I can't, I'm not worthy to hold you in my arms…'_

_Rukia turned and looked deep into his eyes and asked: 'You'll help me, right?'_

'_I don't mind. As long as she is happy and that I can keep looking those beautiful lips of yours, everything is fine for me.' Renji thought and nodded._

* * *

Rukia stood there and let the tears ran down her cheek, she doesn't bother anymore to stop it anymore, because she knew she couldn't stop them, no one can. Then two strong arms suddenly wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her backward, until she hit the chest of Renji, who hid his face behind her hair, she started to yell at him, but she immediately stopped when he spoke.

'Please, stop blaming yourself. I know it hurts, but please stop. Stop hurting yourself.' The red-hair boy whispered into her ears.

Rukia could feel the warm breath of the teen on her neck, she wanted get Renji off of her, but a part of her wanted to feel this warmth on her neck, warmth that was long forgotten.

'_Kaien.' _Rukia thought as she slowly closed her eyes and let the young man embraced her in his arm.


	12. Chapter 12

Angels and Demons

Angels and Demons

Grimmjow's arm was finally fully recovered, except that the cut on his chest which left a big long scar on him, but the process of healing had weakened him as well, so he decided to skip a whole day of school to recover from his battle with Ichigo. He went into his own room, he sat on the bed, he touched his right face and he felt something solid, he silently cursed, he had used all his power to heal himself that he no longer concentrated on hiding this mask of his, the devil stared at the white ceiling.

He thought about the room where he stayed before he was sealed in the crystal coffin, everything was white, too white for him. Back then he was one of billion of Aizen's test subject for more powerful demons, he was lucky enough to survive all those horrible experience in one piece and being named as one of the Ten Espadas. Espada Sixta, Aizen gave him this number for viciousness and merciless attitude, for being the deadliest demon of all.

The devil smirked a little, it isn't like cared what or who he was before he became an Espada, but somehow these questions about him seemed to keep haunting him. As he kept thinking about the missing piece of his memories, he slowly fell asleep.

* * *

_It was raining hard, he was waiting for somebody, but who?_

_Something was coming, something evil. But he cannot leaved, no he _don't_ want to leave. Not until that person came._

_When the evil was close, he started to run, is it because he was afraid? No, he never had been afraid of anything. He ran down the river bank._

_The thing kept pursuing him, but it suddenly stopped and stared at something. He turned his head to look at what it was looking, a child was screaming, he can't hear what the kid was screaming, but it had attracted the monster. He yelled at the kid to run, but it was too late._

_He held the kid's body in his arms, blood and mud was stained on his clothes, he looked up at the horrible creature that seemed to be smiling at the scene it was seeing. It said something to him, it was unclear what it said, but all he cared is that the kid was safe, since when did he care for anybody?_

_The next thing he knew, everything had gone blank, and there is nothing else, nothing at all. There is only white._

* * *

'Ichigo. Wake up.' A soft voice said.

Ichigo wanted to see who is calling him, but he was afraid that the monster was still there. Then he felt a warm hand on his, so he opened his eyes and met those dark blue eyes of the angel with a worry expression on him.

He looked around him, and then he slowly remembered that he was in Rukia's house, because Byakuya and he were badly injured, he was relieved that they were safe and that the monster were no where near them.

'Are you scared?' Byakuya suddenly asked.

Ichigo haven't really thought about this question, he can't really say that he was very scared, but he cannot say that he isn't scared either. After all, it was only a dream or _was_ a dream.

'Don't worry.' The black hair angel said as he wrapped his arm around the young boy and pulled him closer to him. 'Everything is going to be alright.'

The orange-hair boy felt good in the warmth of the man, it helped him forget everything that had happen at the graveyard, except the strange and repeated dream of his. He wanted all these images to disappear, all these horrors, he couldn't bared to see them again and again. He decided to share this with the Byakuya.

'It's alright. You don't need to think about them.' The angel whispered in his ears. 'I know you are confused by these dreams, but I'm sure we could solve this together.'

Ichigo gave him a little smile to tell him that he understand, then he took Byakuya's hand and used his index finger, he wrote something down on soft palm of the angel. His smile widen when he saw the stunned face on the man's face and said: 'I don't said this much often either, so treasure it.'

Before the black hair man could add a word, the boy crushed theirs lips together. Then Byakuya gently grabbed the back of Ichigo's head to deepen their kiss. Their kiss broke only when they heard someone coughing loudly, they turned to look at the door, where Rukia was standing with a serious look on her.

'Rukia!' Ichigo screamed, the girl threw a sketch book at his face and ran out of sight.

The orange-hair boy rubbed his face and looked down at Rukia's sketch, where she usually drew her ugly looking bunnies, a note was writing on it with a bright red angry bunny.

_**Ichigo,**_

_**I accept you and Nii-sama's relationship, even if I REALLY don't like it, but it is your choice. So I hope both of you will be happy together.**_

_**P.S. You better be careful when you are with Nii-sama, he can be quite a tiger sometime during your certain **__**private**__** time.**_

_**P.S. I'm with Renji now, so don't think you can say that I'm SINGLE.**_

The angel took the sketch and put it next to the table, then he leant down on the boy and asked with a little malicious smile: 'Shall we continue from where we've left?'


	13. Chapter 13

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

'WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN NO NEED TO GO AFTER HIM?!' Grimmjow screamed at Gin whose smile remained wide as ever.

It had been two weeks since the fight at the graveyard, Grimmjow had been asleep for two whole weeks without realizing it. When he woke up, the first thing that came into his mind was revenge, but Gin stopped him and told him that they no longer need to go after Ichigo.

'Aizen-sama predicts that Ichigo will soon come to us, so we no longer need to waste our energy after, we just need to relax and wait for him to come to house.' The silver hair man explained and sat on a comfortable armchair. 'Or do you want to disobey your own creator, Grimmjow?'

The teal hair man scoffed and headed back to his room, he knew that he'll get kill for his misbehavior if he continued this conversation. While he locked himself in his room, Nel, who listening to the whole conversation in her room, looked very worried. She knew not only the prediction, but also the plan Aizen, she wanted to go and warned Ichigo, but that will reveal her true identity and she was scared that the orange-hair teen will be experiment like she once did. The little girl had to wait for the right time to tell the truth to both Ichigo and Grimmjow and about the plan of Aizen.

Ichigo on the other hand was happy with Byakuya, two whole weeks with no demons or Hollows appeared and they spent most of their time together, dating of course.

* * *

At the end of school, the orange-hair teen stayed after class to talk with his history teacher: 'Can I come over tonight?'

'I'm sorry, but I can't. If I had a little time, I'll come and pay you a little visit. Will you wait for me?' The black hair man asked as he held the boy in his arm.

'Definitely.' The teen replied and leaned up to kiss the man before he left.

Byakuya wore a satisfied smile after the boy left, he haven't smile like that for a long time already and he almost forgot how he smile back then when he was with Hisana. Then a beautiful white dove caught his attention, the God had sent him a message, unlike the one he had received when Ichigo was unconscious, the orb was golden bright. The prideful face of an aged man appeared and spoke to the angel with a solemn voice: 'Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the Sixth Squad.'

'Yes, my Lord.' The angel replied and bow.

'Captain, I am glad that you protect the boy with your life for our own sake, but I regret to tell you this. You no longer need to protect the boy, I will send another angel to guard him, and you will cease all connection with the boy.' The elder said.

'My Lord! I can continue my duty and even if I died in the battlefield, there is still more capable angel to take my place!' Byakuya screamed out his disapproval.

'I'm sorry. But it is clear that you became too attach to the boy.' The God continued. 'I will now give you a choice: You must choose between your pride and your love. If you choose your love, I will make both of you human, but this will cause our lost of the last Minerva's Tear child and the end of the Great Heaven. If you choose your pride, I'll let you continue to be his guardian, but you will lose all your feeling towards him, those feeling of yours will never ever surface within you. You had until tonight at midnight to choose. Mark my word captain, at midnight.'

The golden orb and the dove vanished into thin air, leaving the captain rank angel stood there, alone and lost. Which must he choose: his pride towards his people or his love towards Ichigo, the one who had healed his scar? He doesn't know. He just wishes that he was in his bed with his lover in his arms, holding him close to his body and feeling his warm. He stood in the room until the sun is set and night goddess covered the sky with her bright stars.

He turned into his angelic form and flew to Ichigo's room window, when he entered the room, the boy was already deeply asleep in his bed. He sat on the bed, looking at the young teen and let his finger drifted on the beautiful soft face of Ichigo, he pulled back slightly when the boy shuffled and twisted in his bed sheets. It was then that he saw a small red box in his hand, he carefully took the box from the firm grip of the boy and opened it, to see what lay inside. It was a pair of earring which is composed with a thin straight golden rod marked with a small phoenix on them, he remembered these earring, the earring that Ichigo had thought to buy during one of their date at the market.

* * *

_They walked around the almost deserted street after their little diner, Ichigo held the hand of his lover tightly, it was a frosty night, but the presence of the angel beside him made him felt less cold. When they approached a jewelry shop, he told the man to wait for him outside while he goes inside and had a look at the rings and earrings. The employee welcomed them with a bright smile, Ichigo gave a small smile back at the employee and looked at the various earrings set in the glass._

'_What kind of earring are you looking for sir?' The young lady asked kindly at Ichigo._

'_Euh. I'm looking for some kind of-' The boy lowed his voice to a whisper. 'Earrings for lovers.'_

_The girl let out a small laugh in her hands, but she immediately silent herself when she saw the glare of the teen. Then she goes the back of the shop to retrieve a golden pair of earring with a phoenix marked on them, Byakuya was maybe outside but he could clearly see the earring, he thought that Ichigo was going to buy them, but the boy shook his head and leave the shop with a sad smile._

'_You know I could buy those earrings if you like them.' The angel told the boy._

'_It's okay, Byakuya.' Ichigo said with a small smile._

'_But I want to ask, why do you want to buy earrings?' The man asked as they walked down the deserted street._

'_I just thought that earrings match us, don't you think?' Ichigo said with a mysterious smile on his face._

* * *

Byakuya slowly took one of the earrings out and closed the small box with the other earring in it. Then he held the earring in his palm and stared at it for a while, before he turned his eyes towards the sleeping boy, he slowly leaned down to kiss Ichigo and he left the room silently through the opened window. The pale glow of the moon shined upon the peaceful face of the young angel where a drop of tear glimmered down on Ichigo's cheek.

In the middle of the park, Byakuya stood there and let the moon light shined over him, then he heard the voice of God echoing through the trees: 'Which do you choose, Captain of the Sixth Squad, Kuchiki Byakuya?'

The angel's eyes stayed close, but if one looked closer, they could see a trace of dried tear on his emotionless face. He simply answered: 'I'm sorry.' Then a bright light enveloped the angel completely.


	14. Chapter 14

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

At 5 a.m., Ichigo woke up and to find himself alone than with Byakuya like every morning for the last two weeks. He thought the man must be very busy, because he had to catch up with everyone's test and lessons. He decide to meet the angel at the history class before the early student came to school, so he quickly put on his school uniform, then he remembered the gift he wanted to give to his lover last night, he snatch it and leaved the clinic quietly.

* * *

On his way to school, he heard the roar of a Hollow. He was glad that a Hollow had finally appeared since his last battle with Grimmjow, he don't want to become too soft during his fights after his two whole weeks of dating, he changed into his angelic form and flew to the source of the roar, where near the schoolyard stood a deformed horse with a white mask and a hole over it. The angel immediately charged towards it and slashed into two, after the monster dissolved, he graceful landed on the rooftop of the school, he was glad that he did not lost his touch after so many lack of fighting days.

'Kurosaki Ichigo.' A cold voice said.

Ichigo turned to see Byakuya standing in front of the rooftop entrance door, he was about to greet him, but the man cut across his greeting: 'You know that you cannot slay a Hollow unless a ranked angel was beside you.'

'I know. But I just -'

'You're aware that if you placed yourself in any kind of danger, you will cause the destruction of the Great Heaven?'

'I just wanted -' Ichigo tried to explain, but the angel did not give him a chance to add one word.

'You're a complete immature brat.' The angel said, this caused the boy to lose his patience to explain and pinned the man on the wall with one hand in the air ready to knock the man out cold. 'Are you going to hit a ranked Captain angel?'

Ichigo could not believe what he just heard, Byakuya was not only backed to his old self, but he was treating him like a naughty child who wandered out at night without his parent's permission.

'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! I JUST WANT TO SEE IF I'M STILL CAPABLE TO FIGHT! THAT'S ALL! BUT YOU…' Ichigo couldn't continued what he was going to say, the Byakuya who was in front of him right now seemed so different and was a complete stranger to him.

The man pushed Ichigo abruptly away while he was in deep thought and addressed to the boy with an ungrateful tone: 'You should show some respect towards the elder angel.'

The angel left the boy in a total confusion, he sat against the wall with his forehead resting on his knees and his arm wrapped around his legs in the shadow to hide from the dawn light until the twilight shined over his sad face. He didn't want to go back home, because he knew they would question him about why he was sad, so he headed to the graveyard to visit his mother.

* * *

Grimmjow was pissed that he might not have a chance to get even with the boy, he paced around in his room, until someone knocked at the door and the fox-like face man came in.

'Grimmjow. Good new for ya! Aizen-sama had given you permission to use full strength on the child, after his little heart breaking from his boyfriend, but you must at least leave a single breath, ok?' Gin announced the devil's assignment sarcastically.

The teal hair smirked and leaved the apartment immediately. When he was outside, he seemed to know where to look for the angel and flew at the direction of the graveyard, where they had first fight.

After the devil left, the silver hair man opened his always closed eyes and wore a smile too wide for his sharp face, then he sudden said: 'Come out now Nel Tu.'

The small girl came into Grimmjow's room and looked at the man with a very serious look on her, as if she was ready to receive the worst punishment ever.

'Don't worry. I won't tell Aizen about your little rebellious idea. So go.' The devil said.

'Where?' The child asked as she eyeing Gin suspiciously.

'Well. I know you wanted to tell Ichigo the truth about him and Grimmjow. So why don't you get going already?' The silver hair man told the child as he waved his hand to tell the girl to leave, but she still hesitated to do as she was told. 'Look. Do you see anyone here who's going to stop you?'

'Why do you let me help them?' Nel asked.

'Because no one could erase the feelings and memories of one's love, not even the so-called God himself.' Gin explained and stared at the white ceiling as if he could see the clear night sky. He stiffed a little, when the images of a certain orange hair girl with big breast flashed through his eyes, and he closed eyes once again. 'Anyway, you better hurry up, because I will do as Aizen had planned when the time comes. Now go.'

The little girl gave him a small smile to thank him and left quickly.

* * *

Ichigo silently cried over his mother's gravestone. He didn't want to his weakness to anyone, especially his mother. What he was showing her right now, was not his weakness, but the proof that her mother had risked everything in life for peoples who considered those who didn't had rank are pathetic, they just used them.

'There you are, kid.' A familiar voice echoed in the air. 'Have ya missed?'

The teen looked up at the sky and muttered under his breath: 'Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.'

'Well, I'm glad that you remember me. And if you remember my name, then I guess you know what I'm here for too, right?' He asked the boy.

'Yeah. But I'm the one who is glad to see you showing up. I was really looking forward to a fight.' Ichigo replied as his wings spread and his hair became longer.

'Looking forward to our fight? I don't think so. Or is it that guy who had dumped you?' As the devil finished his sentence, he drew out his sword to block Zangetsu from cutting his head off and he looked into the eyes bright golden eyes of Ichigo. 'Those eyes. You had no idea how much I hated them, but I like that look of yours. Because it makes me want to tear you into pieces!'

The angel had pushed backward by the sudden increase of spirit pressure from the devil, and then Grimmjow put his hand on the blade of his sword and shouted: 'Grind, Pantera!' The devil's body became a panther-like form and his teal hair became as long as the angel's hair.

'So this is your true form?' The angel asked staring at the released form of the devil, his face remained neutral, but his eyes showed a little surprise, that he quickly masked them.

'I thought I had to be in a special form to congratulate you from being officially dumped.' The devil said amusedly.

'SHUT UP! GETSUGA TENSHO!' Ichigo yelled angrily and released a black-red energy wave at Grimmjow.


	15. Chapter 15

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

'Nii-sama! What do you mean you don't like Ichigo?' An angry Rukia yelled at his cold brother in the dining room.

'He disobeys my command and now, he is battling with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques without warning us and he won't obtain the permission to use full force.' Byakuya spoke with disgust.

'He will die! Nii-sama! Don't you get it! Maybe the enemy attacked Ichigo first, so he had no choice, but to fight back! He needs to use full force to fight!' The girl screamed and slammed her fist on the table.

'We will interrupt the battle, only when he can no longer fight. Do I make myself clear, Rukia?' The man calmly said and sipped his cup of tea.

'You are not Nii-sama.' Byakuya's sister calmly replied, which make her brother eyeing her coldly. 'The Nii-sama I know will never let someone he loved in danger.'

'I said -' The man spoke, but was quickly interrupted by the girl.

'You had once risk everything to be with Onee-san, your rank and your power. Now you back away from Ichigo just because he was the Minerva Tear. I'm glad that Onee-san died before you answered God's choice. She haven't fallen in love with an angel, you are a monster!' After these words the black hair girl left the house.

Rukia can't turned into her angelic form to fly to the battlefield, because of her injuries from Grimmjow, she could only turned into her angelic form for a limit time now and she will turn back into her human form after that limit. She ran as fast as she could, but she tripped and got her knee scratched, she got up painfully.

'Need a little hand?' A cheery voice said and a hand came into the girl's view.

'Renji!' Rukia screamed when she saw the red hair boy.

Without waiting for an answer, Renji picked the injured girl into his arm like a bride and started running towards the direction that Rukia was running.

'What the hell is happening?' The boy asked.

'That idiot Ichigo is fighting a powerful devil and Nii-sama will not help him.' The girl explained.

'WHAT?! I thought Byakuya was Ichigo's boyfriend!' The red head screamed.

'Not anymore. Nii-sama was very strange this morning. He acted so by the book.' The little angel said, while Renji simply shrugged because he thinks that Byakuya was always a by the book man. 'No. He is a complete different person. He didn't care Ichigo like he used to, as if nothing had ever happen between them.'

'We're gonna had to solve the mystery later. What are we going to do when we find them? I mean I'm human, I can't fight like you guys and you're an angel, but I can't fight right now.' The tattoo teen asked.

'I know we won't be much help to him when we get there.' The girl said sadly. 'But I want Ichigo to know that he isn't alone, that he still had people behind him, helping him. That's why, I must. No, we must be there.'

* * *

'Ok. Calm down Nel Tu. You need to tell them the truth and that's easy.' The little girl said to herself behind the brushes, but a sudden spiritual wave knocked off her feet, she slightly looked up at the fierce battle between the young orange-hair angel and the vicious teal hair demon. 'Then again, maybe this isn't as easy as I thought.'

She stared at the full moon which is slowly being mask by the darkness, the time for the ritual is drawing closer.

The girl started to panic: 'Oh. It's almost time. Nel Tu go and tell them already!'

* * *

Gin stood in the shadow and silent watched the battle, waiting for the devil inside the boy to manifest into a physical form.

'With Grimmjow pushing the boy to his limit, it won't be long that the devil takes over his body.' He looked at the almost copmpletely masked moon. 'Everything is almost in place for the beginning of the ritual.'

With Grimmjow in his release form, Ichigo was in a huge disadvantage and he was losing the battle already. From the beginning of the fight, he kept releasing a dozen of Getsuga Tensho at the devil, but he easily dodged them and attacked him from behind.

* * *

'What's wrong? Is that all ya got? Come on, you can do better than that.' The devil challenged.

'No problem.' The angel said panting.

'_Who says no problem?'_ A voice echoed through the head of the boy.

'Shut up! Hollow! This is my fight and you won't interfere! I can finish this guy in this level power!' Ichigo screamed in his mind as the devil inside him burst into laughter.

'_Oh, but I think I should. To save you from your little embarrassment. Unless you want to lose to him.'_ The Hollow whispered, even thought the angel could only hear his voice, he was sure that the beast was smiling maliciously.

'ICHIGO!' Somebody yelled below him.

The boy looked down to see Renji holding Rukia in his hand screaming: 'Ichigo! If you lose, I'll make sure you won't see another sunrise! You goddammit!'

'You idiot! Can't you ever say something encouraging?' The girl yelled at the red hair boy as she pulled his hair and looked up at the angel. 'Ichigo! You got permission to use full force! So get him already!'

'But Byakuya -' Ichigo was about to protest, but Rukia was fast than him.

'Don't listen to Nii-sama's words for now! You got permission from the Great Heaven! So fight with full force! That's an order!'

The angel smirked and said confidently: 'You don't need to say that twice!'

'Look like I'll let you out to play a little after all.' He added to his Hollow.

'Then let's see if you can take this. Desgarrón!' Grimmjow roared out. His fingertips started to form long energy claws almost skyscaper size.

'I won't hold back, Grimmjow!' Ichigo yelled as he put his hand over his face and a white mask was composing on his left face. 'You'll be the first to witness this power of mine.'

'Rukia. That's…' Renji tried to put what he saw into words, but he couldn't.

'Yes, that's the mask of a Hollow. Ichigo have one inside his soul since he was a child and it looks like he had finally been able to control it. With this power, I think the outcome of this match is already obvious.' A serious Rukia explained.

'But, what if he loses control of it? Then he -' The tattoo teen protested, but the stare that the injure girl gave him told him told him to shut up.

'I believe in Ichigo. I thrust he had what it needs to control it.' Rukia told the boy and concentrated all her attention to the tense battle above them right now. 'He will win, because he had us with him.'

'EAT THIS KUROSAKI!' The devil yelled and five of his ten long claws charged towards the half angel and half devil boy, but the boy easily destroyed them all at once with one swing of his sword and flew towards the devil with his grip tighten on Zangetsu's hilt. 'DAMN YOU!'

Before the devil counter attack or the hybrid could attack, a magic circle was formed under their feet and paralyzed them, and then Gin appeared outside the circle and was muttering an ancient incantation. Inside the circle, three separate transparent souls had gone out of theirs envelops; Grimmjow, Ichigo and his Hollow. While everything outside of the circle seemed to be crush by a great spiritual force causing Renji to fall to his knees.

'What the hell?' Renji said choking by the spirit force that's crushing on him.

'A transmigration spell! Ichigo!' Rukia immediately turned into her angelic form and flew directly at the body of Ichigo, but she was rebounded by a strong barrier and it forced her back into her human form. Luckily the red hair boy still had some energy left to jump and catch her.

Then a woman with long green hair jumped out of the brushes and stood next to circle, she held one hand up like a stop sign and the other was placed in praying form, she chant a spell under her breath. While the woman was chanting, the soul of the Hollow was crystallized and Gin took it out of the circle that looked at the woman with his usual grin.

'You are pretty late, Neliel. I would love to stay here and help ya, but I'm in a hurry. So bye bye.' The silver hair man said waving his hand airily and his other was placed on the crystallized body of the Hollow, then they vanished into a dark fog.

Without stopping a second her incantation, Nel drew out her sword from its sheath and slashed through the barrier which caused a sudden explosion.

Renji covered Rukia with his body to protect her from the explosion. After a few second, the two teens looked up to see the faint light trace of the magic circle, the boy looked down at the stunned girl with grief in his arm who is on the edge to cry.

'ICHIGO!!' The girl screamed which seemed like an echo in an enormous cavern.


	16. Chapter 16

Angels & Demons

Chapter 17 and 18 will be post maybe in mid May.

* * *

Angels & Demons

'The Soul Ritual? How did the devil obtain the knowledge of this ritual?' A cold voice said behind the sobbing girl and the sorrow boy.

Both of them turned and eyed the newcomer with fiery, Byakuya was there all along and he didn't do a thing to prevent this happening.

'Stealing God's knowledge is unforgivable for a demon. I shall report this matter to God at once.' Before Byakuya could turn and leave, he received a punch right at his face from Renji Abarai.

'God this, God that. You goddamn bastard! That one is for Rukia! And this one is for Ichigo!' The red hair boy hit the man at the face. 'And this is for me!'

But his attack was stopped by two short thin arms, Rukia standing in between them.

'Renji. He isn't worth wasting our energy. We need to know if Ichigo might still be alive.' A sudden determines girl said to the boy as she loosening her grip on the boy's arm. 'Let's go.'

The two left the angel staring after them coldly, when they are out of his sight, the red hair boy asked the girl who could help them to know if Ichigo is still alive.

'We'll ask Urahara and Yoruichi, they are both great magician and exorcist, they might have the answers we want.' Rukia answered painfully as she limped. 'I hope Ichigo is fine. No, I'm sure he is fine.'

'Absolutely.' Renji added encouragingly.

* * *

Somewhere between the Earth and the Hell, where the Hollow hided within the shadows of an endless maze of tunnels, Nel Tu was using all her power to heal an injured Grimmjow, while a boy with bright short orange hair with his eyes covered by a bandage lay motionless next to the teal hair devil, her sword lay in between the unconscious bodies, a green light was glowing brightly on the blade.

'Grimmjow's memories are slowly returning, soon he'll remember everything about Ichigo, but…' The woman thought and looked the angel with deep sadness in her eyes. 'What will they do when they discover who their arch enemy truly is?'

Ichigo suddenly stiffed and spoke with a weakly voice: 'Where am I? What the hell's going on? Why is everything dark?'

When his hand brushed past the bandage over his eyes, he started to panic. Nel tried to heal Grimmjow and calm down the teen at the same time: 'Ichigo, listen, you'll lose your sight for while, but you'll eventually see again. You need to rest.'

'Who are you? Where the hell are we?' The angel questioned, but when he felt the horns of the mask over the head of the woman, he screamed out his questions.

'I'm Nel Tu. We met before, back at the street, you save me from that car, remember?' The green hair woman said kindly, but it actually made things worse.

'What? That was a little girl! Not a woman! You… Ugh…' Ichigo felt pain all over his body.

'Ichigo! Don't move too much, you'll hurt yourself.' The devil woman said, she put a hand over the boy's shoulder, but her arm was abruptly pushed back and the teen yelled at her worse than ever.

Ichigo backed away from the woman, he got up painfully and ran away as fast as he could blindly. Nel wanted to go after him, but she knew that the boy will only be more defensive than right now. So she decided to concentrate on healing the devil before going after the angel, since the Hollow around this section of the maze are gone because of the spirit pressure that the three of them emanated.

'He should be safe wandering in the maze and with his strong spirit pressure, it should be easy to find him.' Nel Tu thought and continued her healing process.

* * *

Ichigo ran until his body could no longer bear the pain, he slowed down with his arms stretched in front of him touching the cold wall to advance in the darkness and every senses of his are on guard of any abnormal sound or movement around him, but there is nothing more than his own footsteps. The more he moved the more tired he gets, his legs couldn't support him after a few more steps and he fell on to the ground, as he lay there, he thought about his family and his friend, wondering what they might be thinking right now. Slowly and painfully, he fell asleep with the thought of dying here.

* * *

'_What's his case?' Someone asked._

'_Kurosaki Ichigo, age 5, was found near the river bank with serious cuts all over his body.' A woman's voice said urgently._

_They moved the boy into the emergency room, his family came running and all of them cried out when they saw the damages on the little boy's body, the two little girls clenched on the coat of their father, while the man was being ask to leave this matter to the doctor._

'_Don't die…' The boy whispered as tears are running down on his bloody face._

'_Doctor! His BP is dropping fast!' A nurse screamed._

_Everything around the little boy was getting foggy and voices are like echoes from the far side of a cave. Only his own voice was clear to him._

'_Please…Don't die…Please…' The boy repeated these words as long as he could, the images of a teal hair man appeared in front of him. He stretched out his hand towards the face of the man, but as soon as the hand reached the man, everything went black._

'_Nii-chan! Wake up! Nii-chan!' Voices screamed again._

_The young boy opened his tired eyes and raised his head awkwardly to see, two little girls, one with black was staring at him with a very worry look and the other was just sobbing, behind them stood a tall man who smile slightly at him. His family was here, but something was missing, the boy blinked and looked around the room, searching for someone._

'_What is it Ichigo?' His father asked when he saw the discomfort on his son's face._

'_Nothing.' The boy simply answered._

'_Well, I'll have a talk with the doctor and you rest for now. Come on girls, let your brother have some sleep now.' The man tried to say cheerfully and leaved with the girls._

_After they left, the boy turned his head to stare the wide window, the night sky was now clear from the storm, the moon and the stars are shining upon him._

'_Grimmjow…'He whispered._

* * *

Grimmjow was finally fully recover after half an hour, while Nel Tu was completely exhausted by the healing process, but she still had something to say to the devil before she could let her tired body rest.

'Where's the kid?' The devil asked as he got up to stretch himself briefly.

'He ran, blindly, but the Hollow in these areas had fled, so he should be safe around here. He ran to that direction.' The woman told him and pointed at the tunnel before them, where Ichigo had run to. The teal hair devil walked to the indicated direction.

'Do you remember something?' Nel Tu's question had stopped him abruptly.

'So what if I _do_ remember something?' He asked in a menacing tone and looked over his shoulder to stare straight into the woman's eyes.

'That's great.' The woman simply answered. 'I guess is true what Gin said after all; _No one could erase the feelings or the memories of one's love, not even the so-called God himself._'

Grimmjow stared at her for another minute or two before he left.

* * *

Ichigo thought he was going crazy or the devils had did something to his mind, he remember things that wasn't there before, to be more specific, Grimmjow wasn't suppose to exist in his memories at all, but he dreamed back the night he almost died and that man kept appear in his mind as if he was there all along.

He slowly got up, but his sight still hasn't returned yet, moving his hand along the stoned wall to stand. He hoped he had run far enough from the two devils, since he can't fight them both with his body this injure and without his sight.

'You shouldn't move too much with those injuries on you.' A rough voice said behind him.

Ichigo knew whose voice just spoke to him, he might not be able to see, but he could picture the teal hair man standing somewhere behind him, laughing at him, at his weakness. The boy turned to face that devil like a warrior facing his enemy.

'You haven't changed a lot, not even after all those years.' What the man said made the teen more confuse with these new memories he got, his mind was in a mess and his head felt heavier, he don't know which one of his memories are real or fake anymore, his knees started to buckle.

Grimmjow caught him before he could fall, but the boy struggled in his arms, demanding the devil to let go of him. Since the teal hair devil was physically stronger than the injured boy, ignoring his struggles, he pulled the boy's hand on his chest and did the same with his other free hand on the boy's. Ichigo almost immediately stopped fighting against the man, when he felt the heartbeat of the devil in his palm.

His heartbeat…

Heartbeat…

Heart…

* * *

'_I wonder why I haven't moved on.' Grimmjow questioned himself on the riverbank and lay down on the grassy hill, hands behind his head._

'_Maybe you still had something to do in this world. Mom always told me that people can't go to Heaven until they finish their job.' A younger Ichigo next to him said, looking at the orange horizon._

'_Sorry to disappoint ya, kid. But I'm going to Hell, not Heaven.' The teal hair ghost replied. 'Since I don't even have a heart.'_

'_I don't think so.' The little orange-hair boy said to Grimmjow who slightly sat up to protest, but he was cut off when the boy put his small hand on his chest and pulled the man's hand to his._

_They stayed in that position for a while, before the ghost broke the unbearable silence. 'What are you doing?'_

'_Everyone had a heart, even when they are dead. The heart is what makes us some kind of god, or so what my mom told me. You feel mine, right?' Ichgo asked with an innocent smile. It was only then that Grimmjow noticed the heartbeat of the boy in his palm, not knowing what to say next, he simply nodded his head and asked what he felt in his palm, which the boy answered with matter-a-fact tone. 'Me? I feel your heart, of course.'_

* * *

'What did you feel, Ichigo?' The devil whispered into the ear of the blind boy which brought him back to reality.

He felt somehow strange about this closeness, he isn't afraid to be this close with the devil who tried to kill him about a few hours ago, in fact he felt he is safe and comfortable around him.

'Me? I feel your heart, of course.' He answered softly and leaned down into the devil's chest. Grimmjow wrapped his hand around the teen's waist while his other hand stroked the bright orange hair with his face buried in it.

'I've found you again.' The teal hair man said, his voice was muffled by the hair, but the teen could still hear it clearly.

'Maybe, everything about him is true.' Ichigo thought silently and let himself being held by Grimmjow.


	17. Chapter 17

Angels & Demons

Here's chapter 17! I couldn't stop myself from writing it and I had finish a lot sooner than expect it. Chapter 18 will be post soon, because it will contain a rather dramatic scene!

* * *

Angels & Demons

Back to the surface, Renji and Rukia were explaining the situation of their angelic friend, who they thought somewhere between life and death, to a dark-skinned woman with her purple hair tied back in a ponytail and a blond-hair man wearing a bucket hat in a strange looking shop filled with strange looking plants, roots and powders.

'The Soul Ritual, you said. Well that's really interesting.' The man said pulled out a fan in his pocket.

'Kisuke, you and I both know that the devils tried to get the knowledge of God for millennium, so stop your 'interesting' talk already.' The woman told the magician in annoying tone and turned her head toward the two teenagers. 'Don't worry, if the demons want the Minerva Tear, your friend holds they need him alive to obtain it. I'll help you find your friend in Hell, I had visit it in a few special occasion, Kisuke!'

'I know what to do, Yoruichi, you don't need to order me around like that, it hurts you know. I'll get things prepared for the open gate. Ururu! Jinta! Tessai!' Kisuke shouted, two children and a tall man came, he handed them a little paper. 'You know what to do.'

The three nodded their head and went to the back of the shop. Rukia bowed respectfully at them and said that she and Renji are going to rest until the gate to Hell are open. Yoruichi accompanied them to a living where there are two comfortable armchairs next to a bright fireplace.

'You two could rest here.' Yoruichi told them as she took out some blankets from a small closet and handed them out. 'Make sure you guys sleep well, because visiting Hell need more than physical energy. We might leave at midnight, sleep well!'

After Yoruichi left the two teens alone, Rukia turned her attention to Renji.

'Renji, I want you to stay here.' She told the tattoo boy who want to protest, but the little angel was faster than him. 'You must understand. This Hell we are going, you had to understand that this is a road of no turning back.'

'I don't care.' He simply replied.

'Don't you ever understand?' The girl yelled. 'If you come, that means you are putting your life in the line!'

'I don't care.' The red hair boy said forcefully putting his hands on the little girl's small shoulders and stared straight into her eyes. 'I don't care, as long as I'm with you, I don't care.'

Rukia was stunned by the seriousness of Renji, who she never saw him being serious at anything, but her spirit slowly caught up with reality and addressed to him a beautiful smile, then she threw herself into him and they hugged each other tightly.

* * *

How long did they stood there holding each, Ichigo didn't know, all he knew is that what he had lost in his past, he had found it. No, it had found him. Grimmjow had found him. He wanted this moment to stop and stay as it is. Then something flashed across his mind; long black hair, soft hands and a calm voice.

_Byakuya._

'Grimmjow? I want to ask, do you ...' The boy wasn't sure if he should ask the question that had been burning deep within him all day long, but he was also afraid of the answer that he might receive. He took a deep breath before he asked it. 'Do you know why did Byakuya suddenly change like that?'

Even thought his eyes are blind, he could sense the hesitation of the devil, he knew that he cared about him and didn't want him to be hurt further more, but the teal hair man seemed to notice his determination to find the answer, he asked him if he was sure about wanting the answer and the boy nodded his head.

'Ichigo, that guy, he had went through a God's Choice process thing.' Grimmjow told him as he gently pulled himself away from him, but he let the boy held his hands tightly. 'It is a process for angels who had fallen in love with a human or among themselves. They could choose whether or not they want to keep this relation of theirs or forget it forever. If they kept their relationship, then their memory will be modify and they could live as a normal human, but if they choose the other, then the one who choose it will lose all the feeling he had for the other.'

The angel couldn't believed what the devil just said, Byakuya went trough a God's Choice and he had choose to forget him completely, he told himself that none of this is real, but it had happen, the man he loved had became a completely different person, not the one who had knew him very well, but a strange who don't cared what happen to him, yet he want to see again, to ask him himself if it was true. He could have just fell to his knees if the devil isn't supporting him, he suddenly felt something warm running down his face, when his fingers touch it, he knew that it was tears and quickly wiped it away.

'Let's go.' Grimmjow suddenly said grabbing him by his left arm and pulled him forward while the boy asked him where they are going. 'We're going back to the surface. You want it, right? To see him again.'

'No.' A voice said which stopped them abruptly, the devil turned and stared confusedly at a beautiful woman with long green hair and the mask of skull with two round horns. 'You two can't go back to the surface.'

The teal hair man was about to protest, but the teen was quicker than him and asked in rather calm voice: 'Why can't we go back?'

'Ichigo. You had to understand, Aizen, the leader of the demons, is going use the Minerve Tear that was inside the other half of you, the Hollow. And use it to destroy the world, I'm sure he already trying to take control of it. You are the only one who can retrieve it.' The woman explained.

'Forget it! What do you demons and god think he is? A tool? Why can't any of you just stop? He had already suffered enough!' Grimmjow yelled as he took a step forward, but he was blocked by the teen.

'I want to know, I'm I, the only one who can put a stop to all of this, Nel Tu?' He asked the devil woman.

'I know you don't want to, but you're the only hope left to all the people from the surface, if you don't retrieve it, it will be the end.' Nel Tu answered sadly.

'I accept.' The angel said, this answer gave the two devils quite a shock, they didn't say anything, so he continued. 'You could say that I had some business with Aizen.'

He turned towards Grimmjow and added: 'You are going to be with me, right?'

The Sixta Espada stared at the orange-hair angel with half admired and half worry eyes, he let out a heavy sigh and answered: 'You idiot. Of course, I'm going. And I'm going with you till the end.'

'Then till the end.' Ichigo repeated with a small smile, it was great to know that you had someone you can count on with you sometimes.

'Alright then. We are only half way to Hell, first we must get to the Hell's Gate, which is quite far away from here, before we could reach Hell itself.' Nel Tu told them and guided them through the maze towards the Hell's Gate.

* * *

'Yoruichi! Are you guys done yet?' Urahara Kisuke shouted outside his shop as he drew different strange symbols inside a giant pentagon on the dry ground while his other three workers are putting some kind of artifact on each point of the pentagon.

'Why don't you shut up and just draw the symbols faster! We're going to Hell! We need everything we can get to help ourselves! Where the hell is it?!' The exorcist shouted loudly inside the shop while the shop owner was scowling at her unfair attitude, when he heard the crashing, banging and cursing noise, his scowl deepened. He silently muttered curses and promised himself that if they ever came back alive, he'll make sure that they are going to pay for the materials and the trip.

'Euh… Urahara-san?' A nervous voice spoke. The blond hair man quickly turned to see who spoke to him, it was Rukia with Renji who stood just next to her. 'Sorry for all the trouble, I'll pay for all the things that we need, but could you please hurry up.'

Urahara sighed and answered tiredly: 'You guys might be the reason of my death one day. I got only one stroke left to add and voila!'

'Good timing!' Yoruichi said cheerfully as she joined the group with a backpack and waving a package in the other. 'I've finally find this goddamn package.'

'What's that?' Renji asked curiously at the old package paper.

The dark-skinned woman grinned wide at this question, she carefully unwrapped the paper to reveal the back of a round mirror which was decorated with dozen sapphires. The shop keeper let out a long whistle while the two other stared at it with great interest and amazement.

'Ladies and gentlemen! I present you the River Mirror! Gift from Odin, the Norse God, himself! This mirror had almost the same power as the Ryujin Mirror, the mirror of the holy dragon, which your God possesses.' The exorcist pointed out at Rukia. 'Anyway, we'll use this mirror to get back to the surface when I got it accidentally when one the Valkyrie dropped it.'

'You mean you steal it.' The blond hair man muttered and received a big slapped at the back of his head by Yoruichi.

'Alright! Let's get down to business! Get into the pentagon you two! Kisuke!' The woman barked out the orders.

'Yeah. Yeah.' Kisuke replied as he rubbed the back of his head. When Yoruichi, Rukia and Renji are all inside the pentagon, he started to chant an incantation and the symbols are shining brightly and soon the three of them vanished within the blinding light. Even after they've left, he kept staring at the spot where they disappeared.

'Kisuke-san, are you alright?' The little girl asked as she stared at the shop keeper.

'Me? I'm fine, Ururu.' Urahara answered as he patted her head and looked up at the starry sky. 'It just worried me, this little rescue of theirs. I just hoped that what had happen 20 years ago wouldn't happen again.'


	18. Chapter 18

Angels & Demons

I have finally finish Chapter 18! The exams are coming, so this might be the last chapter that I post this month, but if I could continue, I'll definitely continue the Chapter 19!

* * *

Angels & Demons

Byakuya with his eyes closed was standing in the middle of the park again, after conversing with the God who decided to attack Hell before they obtained the Minerva Tear and He was going to sent Angels to aid in battle at Hell, the captain ranked angel awaited his company patiently. Then a bright light shot from the dark night sky to the middle of the park where he stood, when the light disappeared, four angels stood next to Byakuya.

'Hitsugaya Toshiro, Captain ranked 10th Squad.' A small angel with silver wings, white spiky hair with emerald eyes presented himself, his head bow a little toward the emotionless angel in the center.

'Matsumoto Rangiku, Lieutenant 10th Squad.' A woman with grey wings, wavy orange hair, icy blue eyes and big breast said and saluted the captain.

'Izuru Kira, Lieutenant 3rd Squad.' The blond angel with white wings, who had reported the result of the analysis of Ichigo while he was trapped in his inner world, presented himself and saluted at his turn.

'Shuhei Hisagi, Lieutenant 9th Squad.' The last angel had a rather punk-like appearance with a number 69 tattoo on his left face, a bandage across his face and three long scars on the right side of his face, his wings are as grey as the wings of the woman, but a little darker.

'What's our mission? Captain 6th Squad, Kuchiki Byakuya?' The small captain asked coldly.

'Our mission is to retrieve the Minerva Tear child, if the demons obtain the power of child, we are order to retreat back to Heaven by the Ryujin Mirror.' Byakuya explained their plan and held out a round mirror with a sliver white dragon surrounding it in his hand. 'But if it was the boy who gives his alliance to the enemy, then we must destroy him even if we might lose the vessel of the Minerva Tear, God will transfer its power to the two other blood lines, if it's possible. Do all of you understand the plan of this mission?'

The other angels nodded their head at the same time, then the black hair angel placed the mirror at his feet and started to chant in a solemn voice:

_The ancient dragon that cut across Heaven,_

_Bless us with your holy light,_

_Grant us your powerful claws._

_I invoked thee by with the roar of the Azure Dragon,_

_Guardian of the Great East,_

_Ruler of Wind and Thunder,_

_Seiryu!_

_I rang to thee with the echo of the Black Tortoise,_

_Guardian of the Great North,_

_King of Mountain and Water,_

_Genbu!_

_I called to thee with the cry of the White Tiger,_

_Guardian of the Great West,_

_Emperor of Sky and Swamp,_

_Byakko!_

_I sang to thee with the song of the Vermillion Bird,_

_Guardian of the Great South,_

_Creator of Fire and Earth,_

_Suzaku!_

_Descend from the Great Heaven!_

_Ryujin!_

He drew out his sword and stabbed it into the mirror, but instead of breaking it, the mirror became something liquid that spread across the feet of the angels like the wave of the ocean and enveloped them, then it crystallized into a full bloomed flower crystal trapping them inside it and it slowly started to close. When it is completely close, it started to sunk into the deep earth.

* * *

Ichigo, Grimmjow and Nel Tu are slowly advancing into the depths of the maze and closer to the Hell's Gate, as they moved on, the cavern walls are getting icier and the temperature was dropping lower.

'We are getting close now.' Nel Tu said encouragingly and looked over her shoulder to see the devil and the angel walking not far from her.

But what's waiting for them at the front gate of Hell, wasn't any gate guardian as they expected, but an exorcist, an angel and a human.

'Ichigo!' Rukia shouted in relieve as she saw the angel approaching, but when she saw the bandage over his eyes and the two devils beside him, her relieve face turned into a scowl of anger. 'What did you two do to him?'

She was about to charge towards the devils, but Renji quickly grabbed her arm and pulled the struggling angel back, he bent down and whispered: 'Don't be so reckless, you still haven't recover from that injury, if you attack them, it'll be a piece of cake for them to kill you.'

'Renji? Rukia? What are you two doing here?' The orange-hair angel shouted in surprise.

'What the hell do you think we came here for, you bastard?! We came to get you back of course!' The red hair boy yelled back angrily. 'You ungrateful bastard!'

'I know, but I can't come with you two yet.' Ichigo told them sadly.

'WHAT?!' His two friends yelled together.

'I said I can't come with you YET! I still had something to do here!' The blind boy said louder than both of them. 'Aizen had half of the Minerva Tear that's within my Hollow and I'm the only one who can retrieve it! I had to put an end to this! So please. Just leave.'

The angel and the human simply stared at him, they've never seen Ichigo begged anyone before, he never asked for mercy, forgiveness or help, but now, he seemed so weak and so vulnerable.

'Alright. If that's what you want.' The exorcist suddenly said and everyone turned their head to look at the dark-skinned woman, except Ichigo who couldn't see. 'After all, he seems pretty determine to stay here and finish the job, so I don't think neither of us could defeat the two demons and force him back to the surface.'

Grimmjow chuckled and said sarcastically: 'Well. At least there is someone who had a brain of what she is doing.'

'An exorcist had always a brilliant brain, shall we open the Hell's Gate now? By the way, the name is Yoruichi.' The dark-skinned woman told them as she pulled out some stick of white chalk and started writing symbols on the frozen door, Nel Tu came to help her up to open the gate.

While the devil woman and the exorcist continued their work on the door, the teal hair man lead Ichigo to the wall where they could rest, Renji and Rukia who sat on the other side of the wall right in front of them, so they could be sure that the devil couldn't pull anything funny. They spent half an hour looking at the blind teen and the devil, before Renji couldn't bare the silence between them anymore: 'So. Why did you side with us now? Last time I checked, you were trying to kill them.'

'I don't side with you people, I just want to help him.' Grimmjow answered annoyingly and glared at the red hair boy.

'Renji, Grimmjow is someone very special for me in my past and he still is right now. So I hope you can trust him as I do.' Ichigo said as he felt the tension between them are building up.

'What do you mean in your past?' Rukia asked surprisingly, because she never heard Ichigo said that there is someone else who could be very special to him, except his mother.

'Grimmjow was the one who had helped me to move on without my mother, but one night, a demon had attacked me and him. Then every memory about him was erased, so couldn't remembered him and he neither, but since we got here, the memories had all returned. I know it sounds strange, but it's the truth.' The orange-hair boy added as he sensed the suspicion from his friends.

'Alright, I trust you, but we still don't trust him. So if he do anything funny while we're at Hell, then don't blame me do anything bad on him.' The little black hair girl stated.

'Either way, we're going to help you. And no one in the whole wide world is going to stop us, right Rukia?' Renji continued and Rukia acknowledged with a nod of head, Ichigo gave them a small smile, but it was quickly fade when he heard the voice he did not expect to hear before he got back to the surface.

'Are you sure, Abarai Renji?' A cold voice asked and loud footsteps echoed through the cave.

The four of them quickly jumped to their feet, Grimmjow stood in front of Ichigo to protect him, Renji and Rukia, who is changed into her angelic form, are already on their guard as the footsteps became louder and louder every seconds, then out of the shadow, five angels with their swords drawn, except Byakuya.

'Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia, both are now under arrest for treachery and allied with the demons, sentences will be judge by God himself.' The angel captain said as he lifts his right hand up to his shoulder, his index pointed at Ichigo and Grimmjow. 'Destructive Art No.4, White Lightning.'

'Destructive Art No.1, Thrust!' Rukia cast another spell and the two of them were pushed away from the line of fire of the White Lightning, but she didn't had time to cast another spell to shield her and Renji from the swords of the two Lieutenants males angles, luckily Nel Tu came in and block the swords with her own.

'Get going! The door is going to open soon!' She yelled at the human and the little angel as she pushed away the two other angels away. 'NOW!'

'No, you don't. Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!' The young captain angel yelled, an ice serpent dragon came out of the tip of his long sword and shot towards the four friends.

But this time Rukia was ready to receive the hit, she took out her own sword and said: 'Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!'

Her sword turned completely white and a long white ribbon was formed from the pommel, then she screamed: 'The next dance, white ripples!'

Massive waves of ice charged towards the dragon, both attacks canceled out each other. Grimmjow took this chance to fire three ceros to the angels, who evaded it, but the strikes caused a curtain of dust rise and he dragged Ichigo away, Renji did the same as he does with Rukia, while the devil woman fought the Lieutenants alone, the young captain with his Lieutenant was still after them, their leader stood where he was from the beginning of the fight and cast a Destructive Art No.63, Twin Lotus Blue Fire.

'Blinding Art No.81, Spitting Void!' A rectangular shield was form around the running group, who looked for the one who cast it, it was Yoruichi and blocked the blue fire burst, then she charged towards the young captain and his Lieutenant. 'Hurry! The gate will open soon!'

Renji and Rukia were the first to reach the door, because the little angel used her last strength to carry the human boy to the gate, but Grimmjow and Ichigo was blocked by an angry Byakuya who shunpo next to them with his sword drawn before they could reach the door.

He was about to stab the devil's heart, if the blind angel didn't place himself in between them and to use his body as a shield for the teal hair devil, he had stopped his sword in time and backed away a step.

'Get out of the way, Kurosaki!' He yelled at the boy, while the devil behind him was telling him to back away and let him fight the angel, but Ichigo shook his head.

'Byakuya, why did you become like this?' The blind boy asked with a trembling voice.

'God's words are law. I'm just one of the angels who will cut down anyone who disobeyed those laws.' Byakuya said in a rather pride full tone.

The cave was starting to shake dramatically, the door where Rukia and Renji stood burst completely opened, red light shot out of the door and strong wind blew across the cave.

'I see now.' Ichigo said in a calm voice and tears ran down his face, the black hair angel eyed him in surprise. 'I see how much I weight in your heart now, your duty as the angel was more important than I do, you're the worst! Grimmjow is a thousand times better than you!'

Then the Hell's Gate's opening was slowly closing, it only had enough space for two persons to slip in, at that moment Grimmjow grabbed the blind angel by the waist and jumped towards the gate, then Renji and Rukia, it took Byakuya a second before he realized what had happen, he jumped through the closing door in his turn, while he was half through the door, he distinctly heard someone screamed: 'Wait! Matsumoto!', before the red light covered all his visions.


	19. Author Note

Sorry everyone! But I'm going to rearrange my chapters and I want to know who do you think should be with Ichigo in the end, Byakuya or Grimmjow?

Please review!

Right now:

Byakuya - 3 votes

Grimmjow - 1 vote


	20. Chapter 19

THe 19 chapter. Hope you all enjoy it. Grimmjow is pretty much losing the vote and Byakuya was going to win a happy ending with Ichigo.

* * *

The Garden

'You know it's useless to hit that door.' Yoruichi stated as she looked at the small captain banging the close Hell's Gate with his hands clenched into fists, the two other angels are glaring at her and Nel Tu who returned to her child form standing next to her.

Since the gate closed, they all stopped fighting, the exorcist and the green hair little girl just looked at the three angels trying desperately to open the door, even thought it can't be reopen until the next full moon.

Reaching the limit of his patience, Toushiro drew out his sword to attack the female exorcist and the devil child, but what she said had completely changed his mind.

'You won't want to kill me or her, because we're the only one who can get all of you back to the surface where you could call your God, so you better be nice with us, Whitey.' Yoruichi told him with a cat like grin.

Much to the small captain's annoyance, she did have a point, so he'll let them live, for now, but when they get back to the surface, he will make sure that he'll get their heads if anything happen to his Lieutenant.

* * *

'Where are we, Grimmjow?' The orange hair boy who still had the bandages covered his eyes asked and concentrated his ears to hear anything unusual after they passed through Hell's Gate, but when he heard the sound that his footsteps made, it surprised him greatly.

It was the sound of water.

The teal hair devil was more surprised than the boy, since he saw nothing else in Hell than the black pitch of darkness and the bright white walls, but what's before them was something he never thought that might existed in a place where there wouldn't be anything which could be describe with the word "beautiful".

They stood in the middle of a clear spring surrounded by hundred of trees that seemed to be crave out of crystal. The sight was rather breath taking.

Grimmjow took a few steps and looked around the place, he reached his hand to touch one of the crystallized tree to make sure they aren't some kind of illusion, and felt the solid crystal on his hand.

'I'm not sure. I have never been in this place before.' The devil admitted after a few seconds, when he turned back, there are some pale green lights floating around the boy.

'What is it?' Ichigo asked tensely when he felt one of the light flew pass him.

'Fireflies.' Grimmjow answered after he looked at the little green lights closely.

'Well, that's new. I never hear anything about Hell fireflies.' The orange hair boy told the teal hair devil with a little forceful laugh, but he stopped when he felt Grimmjow's hand over his bandages. 'Grimmjow?'

The devil slowly pulled off the bandages, Ichigo's eyes still remained firmly shut. He gently brushed the boy's cheeks and whispered to him to open his eyes. The angel complied with a small nod of head and opened his eyes, but everything is all blurry for him, tears automatically formed to deal with the irritation, this make him looks like he was crying.

Grimmjow was studying him intently. The glittering bluish light which the trees emanated made the angel's orange hair brighter and more colorful, his eyes seemed to shone pale blue light around the iris. These aspects reminded him of when the angel was still a kid, he had always noticed that those eyes always shone pale blue light when Ichigo looked at the sunset with him.

'Damn, everything is all blurry.' Ichigo cursed as he lifted his hand to cover his eyes to shield them from the sudden brightness.

Suddenly Grimmjow reached forward and grabbed the lifted hand. Before the orange hair boy could say a single word, the devil's free hand wiped away the tears on his face gently and then he felt him learned closer to him. They are so close that he could feel his breath on his lips, theirs lips slightly brushed, but at the last moment, the angel flinched and pulled away from the devil. The teal hair man released the angel's hand and backed away a few steps.

Ichigo's fingers slowly touched the spot where theirs lips brushed each others and he muttered a small apologies.

'Don't. Not for this. I should be the one who apologize.' Grimmjow said looking into those brown eyes and then he turned his gaze away, even though everything is still blurry for the angel, he sensed that the man was some what disappointed.

He silently walked to him and took his hand into his. The devil looked at him questionably and received a small beautiful smile as answer from Ichigo, which make him returned it with a smirk of his that the angel could not see.

'Let's go. I promise we will make it out here.' Grimmjow told him and lead them toward more deep mysteries of Hell. All he wanted was to protect him, he don't care if he might never get any feelings from Ichigo back in return and that he is still in love with the guy named Byakuya, but as long as he was happy, it was already enough for him. A part of him really wished that the path they are walking will never ends, so that he could hold his hands in his forever.

* * *

In the dark throne room, Aizen watched through the portal the couple walking in his beautiful garden and he paid a lot of attention at the half blind angel.

In his mind, memories flashed through his eyes. A woman with long orange hair standing next to a crystal clear lake and fireflies flew around her, this make her smile and her eyes more beautiful.

'He looks just like her.' A voice echoed in the shadow which pulled the Demon Lord out of his thoughts. Then Gin came out of the darkness and pressed himself next to throne looking at the portal. 'He had her hair and smile.'

'He will never be like her.' He answered coldly without taking his eyes off from the couple. 'How is our other host doing?'

'Oh, he's rather enjoying his stay and he's pretty cooperative despite his wild temper, but still he hasn't show any signs of the Minerva Tears power in him. Anyway, what are you going to do with the others who got through the gate?' The silver hair demon asked.

'Connect every passage to our host, I want to see what they'll do when they all meet each other.' Aizen said as he snapped his fingers to make the portal disappeared.

'Sorry, can't do. You know how much I hate sad stories.' Gin told the Demon Lord and walk toward the giant doors which slowly opened from every steps he took. 'Don't worry. I always do what I was told to do.'

'Oh, really. Does your little betrayal count as one?' The Demon Lord asked when the servant was in front of the wide opened giant doors, the silver hair man looked over his shoulder to the brown hair man with his ruby red eyes. 'She's going to come and get you.'

Gin stay still in his place for a moment before he answered the unanswered question and left the room silently: 'No, it doesn't count as one.'


	21. Chapter 20

**Sorry for the late post! Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Angels & Demons

Renji cursed out-loud as he paced up and down next to an annoy Rukia, because both of them didn't expect to be separate from the other angel and devil. Now they are on a deserted floating wasteland in the middle of no where and hundred of lands similar to this one float around them, but since the little angel girl couldn't turned into her angelic form to carry the red hair teen to the other land anymore, they got stuck here.

'Renji! Could you just sit down instead of walking around me! You are giving me headaches!' Rukia screamed out after Renji's fiftieth turns in front of her.

'Oh, of course! Miss the great angel who can't fly! How long are we going to be stuck in this stupid floating rock? Don't know! How long have we been stuck on it? Don't care!' The red hair boy cried out.

Can't stand the complain of Renji, Rukia decided to kick on him hard, but as if he knew her intension, he immediately stepped back, making the girl jumped into the air instead. The red hair boy was about to reach his hand to grab the girl back by the collar, but a stone platform materialized under her feet and saved her from falling into the abyss. Soon a pathway made out of stone was created leading directly to an oak door.

The two of them stared at the stony road for a moment, considering what they should do, stay on this floating wasteland or take this road towards the unknown? They decide to take the latter, since they don't know how much longer must they might stay on this deserted land if they don't take this way.

They slowly make their way to the door and entered to the unknown chamber that's behind.

* * *

After walking about a few hours, Ichigo and Grimmjow finally found the exit of the garden and entered a round crystal hall where there are six other paths, three on both side and large giant doors in front of them.

'Seems like, we're only a few steps away from Aizen.' The orange hair boy deducted as they walked to the center of the hall.

Suddenly, Grimmjow pulled the angel to his chest, his arms curled around him protectively and he quickly whispered into his ears: 'Ichigo, I want you to promise me that you'll come back to me no matter what happens, promise me that.'

The orange hair teen was confused at the sudden action and request of the teal hair man, but when he sensed the present of someone else in the hall, he slowly whispered back: 'I'll definitely come back.'

The devil was just waiting for that answer, when Ichigo finished his sentence, he fired two ceros to left pathway next to the giant doors and a white form jumped into the air and fired a cero towards them that they easily jumped aside to evade it and the attack hit the ground.

'I'm glad that you came, King! It saves me a lot of trouble to find you!' A familiar distorted voice shouted behind the smoke and dust created by the hit.

Then a moon-shape energy blast cut through the smoke screen towards Ichigo, before the angel could react, Grimmjow jumped in front of him and cut the attack into half with his sword, the attack hit the wall behind them.

The dust slowly settled to reveal the hollow of Ichigo who wore a long-sleeved, ankle-length white coat with a elegant white katana with a square hand guard and a short broken chain dangling as the sword's tassel, let out a little whistle before he said: 'Oh, that's interesting, you got a little stronger since last time we battled, I see. And you became King's bodyguard too, huh? You are so pathetic, King.'

Ichigo was about to turn into his angelic form, but the teal hair man stopped him and told him to save up his strength as turned into his beastly form and charged towards the counterpart of the angel. The battle was almost like the one back at the graveyard.

Suddenly, his friends, Rukia and Renji, came into the hall near the pathway that was destroyed by Grimmjow's ceros and were surprised by the engaging battle of the devils.

'WATCH OUT!' He cried out when he saw one of the hollow's attacks hit the ceiling above them, he quickly lunged towards them and spreads his wings wide enough to shield all of them from the rubbles that are falling on them.

As the angel shielded them from the falling stones, the hollow used this opportunity to fire three ceros that directly hit the back of the orange-haired boy who bit hard on his lower lips to prevent himself to shout in pain.

'ICHIGO!' Both of his friends screamed when they saw the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

'You're mine King!' His counterpart yelled as he fired another cero more powerful than the previous three at the injured angel, but before it reached its target, Grimmjow placed himself in front of the attack. The devil held up his left hand to stop it and fired a cero of his own at the white hollow who easily dodged it.

Ichigo was about to apologize to Grimmjow to have been careless, but when he saw the state that his left arm became, his eyes immediately narrow, his arm was deeply burned and the devil was breathing hard, the attack had did more damage than he thought.

Then the white hollow lunged toward his weaken opponent with his white katana in his hand, he was about to pierce the heart of his advisory, but the katana had instead of meeting flesh met the metal of a cleaver blade.

'You won't harm anyone I care anymore.' The orange-hair boy hissed through gritted teeth as he pushed the hollow back and jumped into the air. 'Getsuga Tensho!'

The black wave with red outline attack charged toward the white being, but it was soon split into two by the hollow's katana. His counterpart yelled at him: 'You think that stupid sword and trick of yours is going to defeat me?! You have lost this fight since the beginning! Because you lack the most important key to victory, which is…'

He disappeared for a second before he reappeared in the air with only an inch away from the angel and thrust his white katana into the chest of Ichigo whose eyes widen in shock. He learned closer to the orange-hair boy's ear to whisper: 'Instinct. That is what you lack and you die because of it.'

'Next Dance, White Ripple!' Someone below them yelled and the hollow looked down just in time to see a massive wave of ice coming to his direction. He let go of his sword still buried in the chest of the angel and jumped out of the range of the attack while Ichigo fell to the cold marble floor.

'YOU BASTARD!' Another voice yelled behind him, he looked over his shoulder to see Grimmjow standing a few feet away from him with his injured arm out-stretched was ready to fire a Gran Rey Cero.

With his incredible speed, he caught the burned arm before the devil had time to fire his attack and snapped the devil's waist back, breaking the bones instantly. Before Grimmjow could do anything, he kicked the hard at the stomach which sent him crashing towards the wall and fires a cero at Rukia and Renji, who jumped into the middle of the round hall to evade it. Then he landed quietly on the broken floor, just a few feet away from where the teal hair man had crashed.

He laughed manically at Grimmjow who got up painfully from the ground as he said: 'A devil with a broken arm, a rookie little angel and useless human tried to beat me! How amusing! You guys should try your best to entertain me!'

The white skin hollow would have continued to laugh at his broken enemies, but his laugh stopped abruptly when he felt his lungs had slightly tighten and it became more difficult for him to breath. His golden eyes slowly looked down to see the blade of his white katana tainted with his black blood through his chest.

Then he looked over his shoulder to see the orange-hair angel holding the hilt of the sword tightly as he spoke in rather deadly low tone for someone who never seemed to be a big threat: 'It's over.'

'Tsk. In the end, you choose death over life. You're pathetic King.' The hollow whispered weakly as his body turned into black ashes which were slowly absorbed by the white wings of Ichigo and they were quickly turned into black. When the wings were completely turned into black, they enveloped the orange-hair teen like a cocoon a few minutes before they spread apart to reveal him again.

The boy was no longer wearing his uniform and his hair was no longer long and straight. Instead, he was wearing the same clothes and holding the same katana as his hollow does in the opposite color. His wings were no longer pure white, but in pitch black, his hair became the same as when he is in his human form, spiky and bright, and his eyes were golden yellow.

'Ichigo?' Grimmjow eyed the angel's new form, not sure if it's Ichigo in control or it's the hollow, but when the dark wings angel took his broken arm in his hands, he somehow knew it was the orange-hair boy he knows.

Ichigo's hands started to glow and the wounds over the broken arm were slowly healing, the bones were mended. After he had healed the arm, the orange-hair angel learned closer to the teal hair devil until their foreheads touched and both bodies glowed brightly. Grimmjow didn't know what is happening to them, but he felt as if he was finally complete.

'Now, I understand.' Ichigo whispered as he backed away from Grimmjow who couldn't understand the meaning of his words, but he felt like being incomplete once more when the warmth of the boy left him.

Then the giant doors opened, a silver hair man with a fox-like grin came out and greeted them all, before he addressed to the orange-hair angel.

'Kurosaki Ichigo, Lord Aizen wants to meet you. So please.' The man invited the dark wings angel with a little bow and his hand pointed at the opened entrance.

Ichigo was about to head towards the entrance which will lead him to the Lord of Hell, but he was held back by Grimmjow who stared at into his eyes intensely and silently begging him not to go. For once, the boy saw fear inside the eyes of the man in front of him.

He shook his head lightly before he pulled off the arm which held him back from his fate, he didn't dare to look at those icy blue eyes again as he walked to the doors, for what reasons he didn't want to, he doesn't know. Perhaps he was afraid to regret something again, just like the moment when he told Byakuya that Grimmjow was thousands times better than him, or being hurt again.

When he was only a few steps away from the entrance, the one person who he didn't want to see before he finished his business with the Lord of Hell appeared. Why couldn't Byakuya just leave him alone since he had already broken his heart?


	22. Chapter 21

Sorry for the late post, too much homework, but the new chapter is finish! Hope all of you will enjoy!

* * *

Angels & Demons

'Byakuya.' The dark wings angel whispered. He did not want the one he loves sees him, at least not like this, not when he is near the end and he doesn't want to regret again, a choice he will definitely regret. He could already felt the stinging feeling in his heart.

'Please Ichigo, get inside.' Gin told the orange-hair boy as he pulled out his sword. He didn't need to be told twice and turned to the doors

'I won't let you!' Someone else screamed and then there is loud swords clashing, the dark wing angel turned to see a female angel with orange hair and icy blue eyes attacking the silver hair demon. 'GET OUT OF MY WAY GIN!'

'Sorry, but I can't.' The demon said as he pushed the woman back. 'Ichigo must put an end to everything.'

'What end? He will only repeat what happen 20 years ago! If he comes with us, he will still have a chance!'

'Chance?' Gin screamed louder than the orange-hair woman, his smile was gone and had been replaced by a grimace. 'You mean him losing every precious memory of the moments he passed with the one he loves so much! That's the chance he got? Is that what you want to see happen? Is that what you want everyone in Heaven have to live through? Is that what you want? Answer me Ran!'

Ichigo couldn't stand there and listen to what the angry devil might reveal he had heard enough of it. When he was about to move again, a blade was press against his throat, he didn't even need to turn his face around to know whose sword was it.

'You can't escape the judgment of God, Kurosaki Ichigo.' Byakuya said coldly as he pressed his sword harder on the orange-hair boy's throat which made a small shallow cut on the tanned skin.

Ichigo could feel his heart arching painfully at every word that the angel spoke and even though the cut on his neck was not deep, it burned him never the less. He turned his head a little bit, so his eyes could see the eyes of the man who hurts him more than once, hoping to see some kind of feeling in those once beautiful eyes, but there isn't any feeling he was looking for, only hatred.

'Do you hate to see me? So much that you'll even kill me with your own hand?' The boy asked the angel calmly.

'I only hate those who defy God's wishes.' The angel answered before he turned and blocked the attack of Grimmjow. 'And that include you, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.'

The teal hair devil let out an angry growl before he attacked again, forcing the angel to jump away. When he is out of the way, Grimmjow grabbed the arm of Ichigo and said: 'Go! Before he drags you back to Heaven!'

'But what about you guys?' He asked worriedly as looked at his two friends who were trying to hold Byakuya back then back at Grimmjow.

'As long that you keep your promise, I don't care! Now go!' The devil yelled and pushed the dark wings angel into the dark room where Aizen awaited him.

'GRIMMJOW!' Ichigo yelled as he was being pushed back, when he stepped inside the room, the large doors immediately closed, the last things he saw before the doors were completely closed were those sad icy blue eyes.

'Welcome to the throne room, Kurosaki Ichigo.' A cold voice echoed through the wide and dark room.

When he turned to meet the cold voice's owner, thousands of candles immediately lighted, the black marble floor reflected their faint lights and stood at the far end of the throne room in front the throne was none other than the Lord of Hell himself, Aizen.

The black wings angel slowly lifted up his black katana and pointed it at Aizen who said with an amused smile: 'Don't think that just because you had the other half of the Minerva's Tears and your hollow back you'll be able to defeat me.'

'GETSUGA TENSHO!' Ichigo shouted as his sword unleashed dozen of black energy waves with red outlines towards the devil.

As the attacks drew closer to the Lord of Hell, he slowly stretched out his hand and slashed his hand upward at the energy waves which immediately dissipated into thin air. Ichigo's eyes widen in surprise that his attacks were not only been blocked by Aizen without any efforts, but they didn't even left a scratch on him.

Before he had time to attack again, the devil projected an energy wave at him and hit him directly, then Aizen shunpoed behind him and blasted another wave that sent Ichigo flying through the air where he kicked the angel back to the marble floor which cracked under the pressure of the strike. The dark wings angel lay on the broken floor, with his face down and his wings half burned.

'You fail because you are weak, Kurosaki Ichigo.' Aizen spoke in disgust tone as he walked pass the injured teen of the floor and walked back to his previous position in front of the throne.

'You are wrong.' The orange-hair teen mumbled weakly.

'What? What did you say?'

'I say you are wrong.' Ichigo repeated as he struggled to get back on his feet using his black katana to help him stand up. 'You are the one who is weak, Aizen.'

'It's useless for you to struggle, you will never beat me.'

'I'm not. You think you are all mighty powerful and know everything that others think, but you are just as confused as I am. You didn't understand why my hollow didn't hold the other half of my Minerva's Tears. It's simple.' Ichigo said and placed his hand over his heart. 'Because I gave half of them to Grimmjow, the night you took him to Hell, that's why he could survived all those experiments you did to him!'

'Shut up.' The brown hair man whispered silently.

'You kept coming after me just prove you were never wrong, but in the end, you were the one who is doing all those useless things! Because you don't even know how to love someone else than yourself!'

'I say shut up!' Aizen barked and sent dozen of energy waves towards him. Ichigo easily dodged those waves considered they were fired blindly by an angry demon lord, but every time he evaded one of them, another wave charged at him out no where. 'What do you know about me? About what that goddamn _God_ had put me through?'

While dodging all those attacks, the black wings angel tried to approach the demon lord and to find an opening for him to strike, but no such luck, so he decided to get to him through his attacks.

This going to hurt, Ichigo thought as he charged towards Aizen. The attacks are cutting and burning him, but he ignored the pain as he got closer to the brown hair demon who had just realized their close distance. Not letting this chance to slip away, he pierced his sword into the chest of the demon, exactly where a heart should be locate if a demon had a heart. At that moment, some kind of vision appeared in front of him.

_Aizen was slowly walking towards a lake where a woman with long orange hair stood humming a small tune, it was only when Aizen is a few steps away from her that she turned around to meet his eyes. She had bright sapphire-like eyes, seeing the man made her smile grew wider, but what surprised Ichigo the most was this is his__** mother**__._

'_Aizen!' She screamed happily and jumped into his arms like a little child._

'_Sorry for being late Masaki.' The brown hair man apologized as he hugged the woman and gently stroked her hair a little. 'Forgive me?'_

_Masaki shook her head and said: 'No, not unless you promise me something.'_

'_And what's that?'_

'_Well…' She slowly backed away from him and pulled out two crimson red apples out of no where from her back. 'Join me in a little late night snack would be your punishment.'_

'You and my mother…' Ichigo whispered silently and with disbelieve.

'Imagine… A demon from the darkness of Hell… In love with the angel of Heaven's lights…' Aizen whispered weakly as he coughed some blood. 'Looks like… Both of us will be… Joining her soon enough…'

Before the black wings angel could ask the meaning of the demon's words, he felt a piercing pain in his heart. He looked down at his chest to see a sword that went through the left side of his chest and then he looked back at Aizen who was smirking at him as he pulled back his sword.

Ichigo stumbled backward a little with his eyes wide as he tried to control his breathing, his vision are getting blurry at each passing second. He gritted his teeth as he charged at the demon lord for a final strike yelling: 'GETSUGA TENSHO!', while Aizen released another energy blast. When both attack clashed, it created an explosion which disintegrated Aizen and Ichigo.

Yet for the orange-hair boy he was only engulfed by a blinding light and where a dozen of his memories flashed before him; his mother, his family, his friends and the _one_ he loves.

Wait… _Who_ did he loves? Is it Grimmjow, the one who he had kept a promise? Byakuya, his first boyfriend, but who betrayed his love?

For some reason, Byakuya's face seemed clearer for him than before, especially those eyes of his that he came to love and to hate. Inside those eyes filled with hatred, there is something else in them, something that he didn't even notice when Byakuya was very close to him. Those dark-blue eyes shone sadness and love, but it's too late for him to realize them. Ichigo tried to reach out to touch that emotionless face again while his body was starting to disintegrate.

_I'm sorry…_

* * *

Outside the throne room, the battle between those who follow the order of God and those who follow what their hearts were telling them to do, had been abruptly stopped by the sudden flash coming out of the closed room which forced everyone to cover their eyes from the blinding light.

When Byakuya looked through those lights, he saw the black wings angel floating in front of him with teary eyes and his hand out-stretches to touch him, he wanted to push the hand away, but before he could, he felt an immense pain in his head and in his hard. He squeezed his eyes shut as the pain in his head started grew more and more painful every passing second and pressed his hands against his forehead and his chest.

Dozen of memories were pouring into his mind which showed Ichigo and him together, he remembered the feeling he felt for the orange-hair boy, which he rejected for his duty as the Sixth Captain under the God's Order. When he reopened his eyes again, Ichigo disappeared before he could make any contact.

Byakuya gasped softly as his body felt the ghost touch of the boy on his face. That touch seemed to take away all the warmth he had and left him like a cold empty shell as the light surrounding him started to become deemed, but what's before him horrified him more than he thought it would do, the giant gates that lead to the demon lord lay in ruins, everything burned.

'Did Ichigo…' Rukia couldn't finish her question as she clapped her hands over her mouth to prevent the sobbing sound coming out. Renji placed his hands over her shoulder to comfort her.

'So… Does this mean that everything is over?' Renji asked the others around them as he tried to stop the little girl's sobbing and tears.

'Nope.' Gin answered calmly. 'Its part of Hell's rule that the one who kill the present demon lord will keep everything he owns.'

'But the one who kill him is Ichigo and he's dead too.' The orange hair woman called Ran.

'Not quite.'

'Then who is second hand then, Gin?' Ran asked irritably.

'Grimmjow.' The silver hair man told them and everyone, except Byakuya, turned to look the teal hair demon in question who just turned a little to look at the silver hair man before he stared back at the burned ruins. 'Ichigo gave part of his Minerva's Tear to him, in whom you could say that part of him was inside Grimmjow. So it's his decision to what's going to happen next.'

Grimmjow sighed as his body turned back into his human form before he turned completely to face the angels, the devil and the only human in the room.

'I want to end this, this war between both Heaven and Hell. Just leave and tell your _God_ that the demons from Hell will stop fighting as long as you people don't cross our path and we'll do the same.' After he had finished, he opened a portal to Earth and looked away.

As the human and the two female angels got through the gate, Byakuya was left with the demons. The captain ranked angel couldn't get his eyes off the piles of rubbles in front of him, even if the pain in his head was gone, the pain in his heart was only getting worse.

What had he done? Why did he take that decision? Now, he'll never see the bright hair and angelic face of Ichigo, never ever again… He slowly turned away and gone through the portal without another glance at the ruins.

Gin ruffled his own hair as the portal closed itself and asked Grimmjow: 'How could stay this cool?'

The teal hair man simply shrugged without looking at him as he answered: 'Don't know, maybe I'm just use to see these things happen.'

'Well, looks like Ran was right about one thing, it did end like 20 years ago, but this time, we'll get a longer peace than before.' He waited a few seconds, waiting for some kind of reaction from Grimmjow, before he continued. 'You know he won't come back, so why don't you try to accept the fact like everyone else does?'

'Oh he will come back.' The teal hair demon whispered. 'He always keeps his promises and he owes me one. He'll definitely come back…'

* * *

And I want to announce that the one who is going to be with Ichigo will be Byakuya, because he got more vote than Grimmjow, so the next story will be the ending, so please look forward to it! (Sorry those who vote for Grimmjow, but it can't be help.)


	23. Chapter 22

YAY! I have finally complete the story! I hope all of you had enjoy the story! And enjoy the last chapter!

* * *

Angels & Demons

_I wonder if angels all end up here when they die._

_The black wings angel pounded the question as he kept floating in this brightness for what seemed like an eternity._

_Suddenly, a strong gust rushed over him, he brought his arms up to shield his face. When the wind seemed to have settled down, he lowered his arm and found himself standing next to an apple tree in the middle of an endless meadow._

'_Hello Ichigo.' A soft and sweet voice called him. Ichigo froze in his spot, the voice was very familiar to him, in fact it was so familiar that he was afraid to turn and confirm that the voice do belong to that person._

_He slowly turned and whispered: 'Mother?'_

_It was indeed his mother, wearing the flowery robe that she wore the day she died, it shocked him to see her in front of him alive, but what shocked him the most was the person who's either sleeping or death, which he prefer the latter, on her mother's lap._

'_What the hell is Aizen doing here?!' He shouted and pointed at the unconscious demon lord._

'_Ichigo, I have a story for you, would you like to hear it?' Masaki asked softly completely ignoring the brute question her son had just asked. The black wings angel was so shocked that he decided to listen to what his mother's going to tell him before his mind could provide him the necessary words to form his questions. He sat down in front of her and nodded to tell her he is listening._

'_A long time ago, I was the Left Hand of God who would bring peace and justice to both the Earth and Heaven, but back then I was still young and lazy, that I hardly care much about the big event going in and out in Heaven. So I secretly descended to Earth with a little help from Gin, yes Gin the silver hair demon you saw a while ago.' Masaki explained seeing the questioning look on her son's face. 'He used to be the guardian of Heaven's Gate and helped me open the gate so I could go freely to Earth. But he fell to Hell when he refused to get the memories of the one he loves erase.' _

_Masaki paused for moment, her features a little sadden before her smile return and she continued her story. 'I was always happy whenever I arrive at Earth, seeing different people doing their job or enjoying their lives makes me happy.'_

'_Then one day, I met him.' The orange hair woman said as she ran her fingers through the brown hair of the maybe sleeping demon. 'I didn't realize he was demon, I thought he was just a normal human, he was very kind and gentle to me that I started to fall in love with him without realizing it, but that dream of mine was broken when I went to my first really and also last date with him.'_

'_We meet at the lake in the forest next to Kurakura Town, Aizen was a little late, but I didn't mind, because I really love him. We sat next to the lake talking about everything and eating apples, but suddenly the angels appeared out of no where and pulled me away from him. I had never heard myself cried so loud in my life when I heard God put Aizen in death sentence. After they cut him down with their swords his body turn into a dark mist before it reformed him, it was then that I knew that he is a demon.'_

'_Since then I felt nothing but hatred towards him and God gave me a second chance to prevent myself from falling from Heaven, by killing him in a battle. During the battle, I fought him one on one while the others took care of the rest of demons, but one of the demons in the group had attack me from behind and fell to Earth. And the rest, you know.'_

'_Yes, dad never forgets that. Love at first sight and all.' Ichigo said nonchalantly, but couldn't stop himself from smiling at the memory of his father insane speech about how he met Masaki._

'_Yes, it was love at first sight indeed. He reminds me so much of the happiness I had with Aizen. I was scare at first, but when I felt those honest emotions coming from him, I knew that I could trust him with my life and wanted to finally settle down, with no worries or sadness over my past and identity. And having you, Karin and Yuzu completed my happy life.'_

'_But are you really happy, mother?' Ichigo asked. It is a question that he never got the chance to ask his mother, because he had seen the sadness in her mother eyes whenever she ate an apple when he was small._

'_I have to admit that I did miss Aizen, but I told myself to never forgive him. Yet when I _died _or when I had arrived to this realm that I had forgiven him. Because I saw the sadness and grief he had carried with him ever since I was killed by that demon, he as in so much pain of my loss that he killed the past demon lord, but it never eased his pain.'_

'_Mother, what do you mean by you saw him?' The black wing angel asked confusingly._

'_This realm is a dimension in between reality and non-reality, where everything exists and not exists at the same time. I could see everything that happen on Earth and had been watching all of you very closely. You didn't think I would just die like that and never care for you anymore do you?'_

_Ichigo looked down ashamedly, because he did once thought that Masaki left them for good and she isn't looking over them anymore._

'_No need to be ashamed Ichigo, I understand what it might feels like to be left behind.' She told him bitterly, but she still held her smile. 'Now, I want you tell me if you have found something more precious than me.'_

_The boy eyed his mother surprisingly before he asked: 'Should you know the answer already, since you look after me?'_

'_Ah, but that doesn't mean I know all the secrets in your heart.' His mother answered with a small grin._

'_Mom, I really don't want to talk about it.' The orange hair boy told his mother as he looked down at the green grass, memories of the past few weeks came back to haunt him._

'_Then if I told you that I could send you back to Earth, will you tell me who is the fair person had won your heart?' Ichigo looked back up confusingly at Masaki. 'I always have two Minerva's Tears left within me, I had only used one to protect when you were small. The tear should be enough to bring you back to the living.'_

'_Mother... I don't know who I love anymore...' Ichigo answered as he buried his face in his hands trying to collect his thoughts. His eyes became watery, but the tears didn't spill._

_Masaki looked at her son sadly as she spoke softly: 'Either way, I'm sending you back to Earth, your place doesn't belong here _yet_. But remember this Ichigo, if you love that person from the bottom of your heart, you would always find forgiveness for them...'_

_Ichigo looked into her mother's sapphire eyes as she ran her thumb over the tears on the edge of his lashes, then she placed her hand gently over his cheek and said: 'Say hello and sorry to your father to me.'_

_Then everything slowly faded away and darkness took over his vision._

* * *

'Nii-sama, you are leaving already?' Rukia asked his brother who stood at the door.

'There are no reasons left in this town for me to stay and I had my own tasks to complete in Heaven.' The raven hair man told his sister neutrally. His face wore the emotionless mask as always, while his heart is deeply in pain.

'What do you mean that this town doesn't have a reason for you to stay? Am I a not good reason?' The little girl asked on the edge of crying as his brother just looked away. 'Why can't you just stay for a while longer?'

Byakuya wanted to tell her that his heart could bear to stay in this town a second longer and that unlike his old wound, this new wound in his heart will always keep bleeding until the end of time.

Before he had time to tell Rukia the reason, he felt a powerful surge of energy descended to Earth not far from here, but the energy isn't unfamiliar to both of them. Byakuya's eyes widen in surprise and a certain hint of hope shone deep in his dark-blue eyes, he immediately turned into his angelic form as he ran outside and took flight, leaving his still-not-able-to-fly sister behind.

Please, God. Please be him. Byakuya found himself mentally begging as he flew among the clouds to his destination.

* * *

Bright light replaced the black darkness as Ichigo opened his eyes, but he quickly covered his eyes from the brightness with his hand as he slowly got up in a sitting position.

He slowly opened his eyes again and let his eyes adjusted themselves to the sunlight. Tears formed in his eyes, blurring his vision, as he looked around him before he knew that he was sitting in the grassy area next to the graveyard. He slowly stood up when his eyes were less blurry.

'_I've found you again._' A voice echoed in his mind.

He blinked a few times to clear the blurriness of his eyes before they could see the bright teal hair of the man in front of him as he said: 'Grimmjow.'

After he had pronounced the name of the devil, he was in front of him in a flash and pulled him against his chest, holding him tightly as if he would suddenly fade away like the morning mist.

'Grimmjow, I…'

'_Please..._' The same voice echoed in his mind. Then he realized that Grimmjow was talking to him through telepathy. '_Just let me hold you for a little while longer..._'

Why can't he say those words with his own voice? Ichigo questioned as the arm around him tighten.

'_Because I'm not the one you want to hear those words from._'The orange hair boy looked up confusingly at the teal hair man, couldn't understand the meaning of his words.

'Ichigo?' A soft voice said. Ichigo's eyes widen in shock at the familiar voice, he turned his head to the side to see a panting raven hair angel a few steps away from them. Then he felt the arms around him were gone and a hand behind his back pushed him towards the angel who caught him in his arms.

'Take him, Byakuya.' The teal hair man said as he turned and started to walk away. 'He will be the contract of the peace between Heaven and Hell, if you ever hurt him in any way, Hell's demons will be glad to have their chains loosen.'

The new demon lord opened a portal back to Hell, Ichigo pulled himself away from Byakuya and was about to run towards him while he mentally yelled: '_Wait, Grimmjow! I..._'

He went pass the portal as it slowly closed itself behind him and he replied mentally: '_You had kept your promise..._'

'_It's just that you came back, not for me, but for him._' The faint voice echoed inside his mind until the portal was completely closed.

'Ichigo?' The soft voice asked. The orange hair boy turned around to see the raven hair angel staring at him with those cold dark-blue eyes. When the man took a step forward he automatically took one step back, he didn't know why he steps away from the man, maybe out of fear that the other would hurt him again. 'I'm sorry.'

'I'm sorry.' Byakuya repeated as the orange hair boy saw the emotionless mask of the angel melted away and was replaced by a face filled with sadness. His eyes shone regret and tears ran down his pale cheek before he closed them.

_**If you love that person...**_

Ichigo quietly approached the crying angel as silently as the wind dances among the leaves, without noticing the black wing sprung from his back as he advanced.

_**From the bottom of your heart...**_

He slowly extended his hand towards the pale face. His fingers carefully caressed the beautiful skin as if a single touch would break it into dozen of pieces. The gentle action caused Byakuya to look at him surprisingly.

_**You would always find...**_

The black wing angel's lips hovering over the thin lips of the raven hair angel and then he closed the tiny space between their lips, kissing the man passionately.

_**Forgiveness for them...**_

**Now I understand what you meant mother...**

Ichigo felt Byakuya's lips pressed back against his, nibbling his lower lips, silently asking for entrance which he happily gave him. A soft moan escaped his throat when their tongue met.

**Why we always found forgiveness for people we loved...**

The orange hair angel snaked his hand around the other angel's neck and pulled him closer until he could feel all his warmth, deepening their kiss as his other hand rested on the other's back.

**We simply loved them a lot...**

When they parted their lips for air, Byakuya leaned down a little to whisper in his ears: 'I love you, my angel.'

'No, not my angel.' Ichigo replied before he let his lips hovering over the others again. 'It's my love.'

He sealed their lips once again in a fiery kiss, letting their kisses wash away the angels, the devils, the laws, the duties, the world, everything. Caring nothing, but the moments they are spending together from this very moment.


	24. Chapter 23

Okay, I didn't want those who voted for Grimmjow to feel sad, so I made this extra special chapter for those who prefer Ichigo with Grimmjow! Enjoy the ending everyone!

* * *

Angels & Demons

_Masaki looked at her son sadly as she spoke softly: 'Either way, I'm sending you back to Earth, your place doesn't belong here _yet_. But remember this Ichigo, to love someone, you don't always need to use words to tell that you love them, a simple act could have spoken a thousand words.'_

_Ichigo looked into her mother's sapphire eyes as she ran her thumb over the tears on the edge of his lashes, then she placed her hand gently over his cheek and said: 'And tell your father that I'm sorry for leaving him.'_

_Then everything slowly faded away and darkness took over his vision._

* * *

'Still waiting for him I see...' Gin stated as he walked into the throne room where Grimmjow, who sat on the throne with a leg crossed over his knee, one hand resting on the armrest while he rested his chin on the other hand, his eyes laid closed.

'I told you a thousand time already, Gin. He _will_ come back.' Grimmjow spat without opening his eyes.

'Even with your power enhance, you can't bring the dead back or even feel his existence in the non-reality dimension.' The silver hair demon said coldly as he took his place next to the throne. 'Grimmjow, why don't you face the reality? He _isn't coming back_! I mean even if he does, you expect him to love you back in return? He will only be with Byakuya! And even if he doesn't go back to him, he can never be with you. You're a devil, and him, an angel! The two opposite races in a war that raged on and on like an endless cycle!'

'Gin, tell me something. What did you feel when you were force to forget every memories of the one you love?' The new demon lord asked rather too calmly for a fiery person.

Gin's eyelids opened a little to reveal those red orbs before he closed them. 'Despair, anger, hopeless... I felt all the bad of the world when God orders the angels to erase my memories with Ran. Every now and then, I want to feel love again, to remember what it felt like to love and be love by someone.'

They spent a few minutes in a tensed silence before Grimmjow spoke again: 'I had never known what love is or what it is like to be love, before and after my death. I had only known what I need to survive, nothing else. But Ichigo had showed it to me. He showed what love is and gave me a heart that I thought I never had. So, no matter what choice he will make when we'll meet again, I'll always love him.'

'Can you really accept this? Can you really accept of having no love in return for you after all you had done for him?'

Suddenly an energy waves washed through the room, causing Gin to open his ruby red eyes in shock, but Grimmjow remained calm and unmoved on his throne. It was only when the energy waves passed away that the teal hair demon opened his eyes.

'Was that... Ichigo's…' The silver hair demon couldn't finish his question because he was so shock from the power of the waves that had just appeared.

Grimmjow opened a portal to the forest near the graveyard as he stood up from his throne. Before he went through the portal he answered Gin's question: 'Yes, I accept without regret.'

When the hole to Earth is closed, Gin added to himself: 'You're much stronger than Aizen had expected, Grimmjow. In fact, you're far stronger than him, because you learned to love someone, even if he might never love you back. That makes you stronger and more powerful than any previous demon lords in Hell.'

* * *

The teal hair demon slowly advanced towards the body laid on the grass, he quietly knelt next to the sleeping teen and ran his fingers over the soft silky orange locks as his eyes are taking in every beautiful aspects of Ichigo.

He knew that he had very little time to stay next to the orange hair angel, either his little angel would wake or his _boyfriend_ would come and wake him up. Yet he felt like he had all the time in the world and doesn't need to worry about these matters. He leaned down until his face is inches from the boy's. This position reminded him of something that had happen a long time ago, something he had always kept in secret. A memory of his angel and him all alone...

* * *

_On the riverbank, while the sun is slowly disappearing from the horizon, there are two lone figures sitting on the grassy hill._

'_Ichigo, you should go home.' The teal hair ghost said as he watched the orange sky turned from orange to deep red. 'Ichigo?'_

_Grimmjow turned his head and looked down to see the orange hair kid was fast asleep. He silently took out the raincoat from the boy's backpack and carefully pulled it over the boy's body, before he started to study the peaceful face of Ichigo._

_Somehow he found himself attracted by the innocent face of the boy or more specifically his small lips. He didn't what he was thinking anymore, his only thoughts were to feel those lips on his, so he slowly moved closer to the boy until their lips met briefly. When realizations came back to him, the ghost instantly shot back and the action had stirred the sleeping child from his slumber._

'_Grimmjow?' The boy asked as he rubbed his tired eyes before he looked up at the sky and started to panic. 'Oh no! I'm going to be late!'_

_Ichigo quickly took his backpack and the raincoat which he wondered how did it got out, saying a hasty good-bye to the teal hair man before he ran towards the bridge._

_Grimmjow looked after the small running figure until it's completely out of his sight. Then he smiled inwardly as he slowly traced his lips with his fingers, savoring the innocent taste of Ichigo._

* * *

Now that he thought about it, he wondered if those lips still possessed the same innocent taste as the first time he savored it. He leaned forward a little until his lips were hovering over the others about to close their distance, but he hesitated at the last second and pulled back with his eyes closed.

No, he isn't the one who's supposed to be with him forever, to hold him tightly and kiss him passionately. He knew that the kid will always consider him as a close friend or a brother, but nothing in romance. So he doesn't need to kiss him again to confirm his musing, the boy will always be that innocent and nothing is going to change that, not even God himself.

Suddenly he felt something wet on his cheek. He opened his eyes and looked up to see if it's raining, but the cleared blue sky is cloudless. Then he looked back down at the sleeping face where a drop of water landed on Ichigo's cheek, his fingers lightly touched his own face and when he retracted them, they are covered by the wetness of _tears_.

Before he had the time to process what had just happened, he felt a presence coming towards them. He immediately stood up and ran towards the forest, hiding among the trees while concealing his power.

* * *

He wondered what's going on around him when he felt a presence next to him and warm arms wrapped around him to pull him up, resting his head against some soft silk of some kind. He forced his eyes to open and saw Byakuya.

'Byakuya?' He lifted his hand with difficulty to touch his cheek and felt the wetness on his face.

'Why are you crying?' The raven hair angel suddenly asked.

'I didn't. I...' He didn't cry, but how did his cheeks got wet?

'It doesn't matter, you are safe now.' The angel whispered softly and held the orange hair boy tightly in his arms, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of his lover.

Ichigo, on the other hand, didn't feel save, he felt hollow, the warmth of the angel didn't gave comfort like it uses to. His eyes wandered around him, searching, for what he doesn't know, just something. Until they spotted some blue hair among the green trees, but when his eyes blinked, it had disappeared. Could it be? _Grimmjow_? Part of thought it was impossible, because the teal hair devil had never shed tears before, even when he might be gone forever, he didn't cry once.

Ichigo gently pushed the angel away as he got up unsteadily and said: 'Byakuya, I want to tell you something.'

'What is it?' Byakuya asked, still holding his right hand.

'I love you.' The angel was about to say something, but the teen didn't give him a chance, placing his free hand over his chest where his heart is and closed his eyes while he continued. 'I really did love you, but this wound, it won't heal. I can't feel anything from you...'

The orange hair teen felt the hand holding his had tighten his grip. He decided to look up and tell Byakuya what he felt, but the man placed his lips over and his other hand on his neck, kissing him with the same passion that they held before the angel got his memories erased, but Ichigo didn't feel good, quite the opposite, he felt disgust.

After a moment, the raven hair man pulled back and asked weakly: 'I won't have another chance, do I?'

When the grips on him loosen, he slowly slipped away from the angel's grasp as he said: 'I have given you the chance to be with me again, but you threw it away like it was nothing. I can't bear it anymore. I'm sorry.'

Byakuya bit his lower lip hard until it drew blood, his hands turned into to trembling fists. His trembling immediately ceased when Ichigo put his fingers over his small wound which was quickly healed. Then the boy took out the earring he had kept and placed in the palm of the angel.

'I cannot love you anymore, but I want to forgive you and free you from this chain that attached us together. And may this be a gift for your future bride.' The orange hair boy said softly as his black wings sprouted behind him and flew away, leaving a trace of black feathers around the white wings angel.

'Nii-sama?' A small soft voice asked Byakuya who didn't need to turn around to guess who it is, Rukia.

His sister took place next to him and looked at him sadly before she asked: 'Are you alright nii-sama?'

'Rukia, am I a horrible person?'

The girl shook her head lightly as she answered: 'You aren't horrible, you're just lost...'

'Yes, you were right. I had always been wandering in my own grief and sorrow, always trying to find a way to heal my wounds, but in the end, I had only deepened them more. Ichigo was the one who showed me the way out of my own dark maze, but I had pushed him away.' Byakuya slowly stretched out his hand and let a black feather landed gracefully in his palm while the other gripped tightly over the earring. 'I cannot ask for his forgiveness, but still he forgives me and wants to free me from my darkness.'

'Kurosaki Ichigo, I thank you for freeing me.' The angel quietly whispered and looked up at the blue sky which slowly turned orange.

* * *

After leaving the raven hair man behind, the black wings angel sat on the grassy hill of the riverbank and stared orange sunset, his wings fluttering in the breeze. Then he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his forehead on them.

'Regretting?' A rough voice asked. Ichigo looked up to see Grimmjow standing next to him looking at the horizon.

'Not really.' Ichigo answered sadly before he returned back to his position.

'You know you aren't really good at lying.' The demon lord said as he sat down. 'You should let it all out. All your anger, sadness, everything you kept in your heart. It'll make you feel a little better from regretting your choice.'

'How would you know about regret? You never regret anything before.' The orange hair spat. He doesn't know what hit him to say those words, he just felt sad and angry about what God did to his life just because he had in his possession of the Minerva's Tear. He felt the tears that he is holding back welled in his eyes.

Grimmjow simply shook his head as he said: 'You are right. I have never regretted anything.'

These words had caused Ichigo to look away, not wanting to continue this conversation, his tears are still holding onto his lashes, but the following words surprised him a lot: 'Because I never regretted to have met you, saving you from the bullies, knowing you, protecting you from the devils in exchange for my soul, everything. That's why I didn't know anything about regret.'

'Why? Why my life turns out like this? Why can't I live my life as a normal person? Why can't God leave me and Byakuya alone? And why did Byakuya choose to forget me? WHY?' Ichigo exclaimed as his tears slide down his face, but he no longer cared about them. Strong arms wrapped around him and pulled him against a muscular chest, he didn't resist because he is too tired to fight and let out all the tears he is holding in. A hand buried itself in his hair while the other rested on his back.

_**To love someone...**_

'It's alright, Ichigo. Everything is going to be alright.' Grimmjow smoothed as he rubbed his back.

_**You don't have to use words…**_

The boy wrapped his arm around the larger man and pressed his head on his shoulder, taking deep breathes to calm himself.

_**To tell that you love them...**_

'Feeling a little better?' The teal hair man asked and the boy just nodded his head. 'I'm glad that you are getting better.'

_**A simple act could have...**_

The black wings angel slowly wiped away his tears and lifted his head up, his brown eyes looking deep into the blue ones that are filled with concern.

_**Spoken a thousand words...**_

**How can I be so stupid? The one who love me more than anything was always beside me, but who I had always ignored...**

Then he closed his eyes as he gently pressed their lips together.

**He was the one who had cried...**

When Ichigo pulled back, he said: 'I'm sorry... I never gave you a chance-' The rest of his sentence was muffled as his lips were covered by the others once again.

**He did all those things for me, all those silent sacrifices, just for my happiness...**

When they parted their lips for air, the angel found himself flat on his back while the devil straddled on his stomach with a mischief smile on his face.

**But now, he is my happiness...**

'I was right. Your taste is still very innocent.'

'_Still_? What do you mean by that?' Ichigo asked looking up at the demon lord questionably.

'Simple, I might not be your first crush, but I got your first kiss.' Grimmjow answered with a smirk. 'Just like now.'

It took a few minutes for the piece of information to sink into the angel's mind before his face started to redden and he asked dumbfounded: 'Yo-You mean yo-you ki-kis-kiss...'

'Yeah. I. Kiss. You. While. You. Are. Sleeping.' Grimmjow spoke with a hint of amusement in his voice before he crashed their lips together again, his tongue slipped past the defenses and played with Ichigo's tongue.

Ichigo struggled a little before he gave in. Hell, they'll just continue the conversation after this and Grimmjow better make this good or he'll make him pay the price ten times for stolen his first kiss.


End file.
